She & I (A kind of blast from the past)

We bumped into one another
She and I,
At the funeral of a former teacher.
She was an old flame-
Who wasn’t quite-
And we’d not seen one another
For a decade.
 
Our teacher had managed
An animal club at school
She and I had both been members
We had been good friends
Though in truth I
Had wanted it to be more.
 
My teacher had persuaded me
To join a branch of
A local charity:  He was secretary,
And in his passing
I was taking over his position.
I had stayed in touch with him
Down the years.
 
She had moved on since school
Of course, now working
In a senior position
In the archaeology department
At a museum, whilst I…
 
I was still in a humble position
“I wondered if you’d be here”
I said to her at his funeral,
Taken slightly by surprise
At seeing her
 
“I’m taking over Sir’s position
In our charity.''
We chatted briefly about
A few other ex- pupils
Who were there.
 
Suddenly it struck me
A mild epiphany or insight:
She had moved on
From school but, mentally,
I had not.
 
I had- I suppose-
Stayed clinging,
mentally at least,
To a scenario
With which I felt comfortable.
 
Knowing how far she had
Progressed in twenty years
(since school)
And admitting that I hadn’t
 
Left me feeling a little embarrassed.
 
MDC