Deeply, Madly, Platonically

In truth, at first
You were not the main attraction
Although your bright green dress
With those sharp white seams
Was and always is immaculate
Regardless of the time of day
Or evening
Or cast of weather

It was that part of you that initially caught my eye
And breath
In wonder at the prospect of such magic
You might conjure up
From that simple piece of verdant cloth
This excites me still 
I pray it always will

Because, let’s be honest
When we first met, you were a mess
And getting worse
And although you always made that concession
To try looking your best for guests
You had let yourself go around the edges
Became a little tatty
After pouring all your money down the gutter
In search of kicks
That were proving not quite as easy or high
As they had once been

You would probably admit
That the first time was the best
The second, a surprise
Sweeter for that
But subsequently you had been hanging on weakly
To bannisters as you slid into the basement
Until you sobered up for a while
Re-climbed the stairs
Until drinking again from that heady cup
You fell, fell, fell apart again

Despite all these travails
Your capacity to hold us all
So close
Has been remarkable
Although with the passing years
Like us all
You have changed a little
Established certain limitations
That come with maturity
I believe you have never looked better
You have that beauty that blooms
From a good life lived
You now know what suits you best
No longer home to riotous assembly
Of unregulated youth
You still welcome us through your blue gates
Provide the safe space for us
To forget our mundane frustrations
Gathered during each working week

Under your impartial gaze
Our irregular gatherings
Ostensibly to just watch football
Which over the decades and by turns
Switches our sensibilities from joy to grief 
Or, on any day, spin emotions
Like fortune brought by a tossed coin
So sharply from pleasure to pain
Or capriciously spring relief from distress
You have wrapped around us
Kept all but the very worst
That The Solent spews out
From disturbing
Our temporary collective existence

You have stuck at it
For a hundred years and more
For which my love for you
Has grown stronger
My gratitude deeper
For your constancy
Through betrayals, alleged theft
Threats of abandonment
Dalliances that might break a lesser heart
You have stood your ground
You have always been there for me
Will outlast me
No doubt
But my sons and grandchildren will visit you
In years to follow
Knowing how my love for you
Allowed me to live

~

NaPoWriMo 2024: Day 2 prompt: Platonic Love Note (to Fratton Park). If challenged, I will only admit to this being a bit of light-hearted scribbling.

CLP 02/04/2024