When his wife sent a messenger one evening
Asking when he would come home
Sibelius replied that he was a composer
And not a fortune teller
It was the autumn of his life
And there was wisdom in his humour
…….
It is autumn now in Helsinki
And I am in that state of body- mind
With Sibelius in my ears
And the flowing lines
Of Aalto’s Art Noveau in my eyes
………
Pretty city of gritty people
Of generous hearts and open minds
Undiminished by Baltic winters
And memories of Russian rule
……….
I will come back to stay longer
In this life or another
To savour the smiles and delve deeper
As an angler or a lover
Or just a dog whisperer
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