A Gentleman's Secret Poem by Shirley Harrison

Today, I had the great pleasure
to sit next to
a senior gentleman
on the bus

actually he is my friend

a gentleman
I've had the pleasure to know

for many years
he once told me
he holds in his wallet
a concert ticket of the Beatles

a concert he went to
in Rome in 1975

he showed me the ticket
in the middle of a shop once


I was truly humbled
It almost brought tears to my eyes

I've always been fascinated
by this fact

because in 1975
I myself, was just a babe

we are very good friends
we talk about everything

from politics and music, to the weather

but even after all these years...

I still don't know his name.