I saw him today. br My husband. Still my husband. br Snow on the roof, they used to say. br And fire in the cellar? br I looked at him and wondered. br Did I extinguish the embers br that for a short space br before we became so hopeless br I tried to blow to life again? br br Today he sat on my sofa. br I looked into his face br Saw that it was grey br like his hair. Like his suit. br br We talked about money. br Currency that he understands well. br We discussed fairness. br We tried not to touch upon the hell br that my desires had led us to. br We acknowledged my point of view. br We were civilised. We apologised br and each held our tongue br in response to the requests of the other. br br And in the end we almost agreed. br And I saw my ex-lover br out of the door. br And I thought of the sadness br of the snow on the roof br that once was a halo of sunlight. br And the fire that lived within him br when I would touch him. br When we used to sit on my sofa br side by side, I on his lap, br with love in our eyes br and desire in our bodies. br Not facing across a room, br with money on our minds. br br When he had gone, I wept for the past, br as lovers have done before, br do now br and surely will again.