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Cliff Bellweather's avatar

*loveher

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Lee Penman's avatar

Thank you for reading:)

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Cliff Bellweather's avatar

An absolute pleasure. Thank you for posting🤝

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David Kirkby's avatar

Well, Lee. I'm definitely someone who loves her work, and not just because I'm a Poet.

I flew into London from Australia in January 1978, aged 17 and a half, on my way to find the world. "Punk Rules Okay!" was spray painted on the walls and London was a cold and gritty city but I turned on the radio and here was a voice from another universe singing of a love from beyond life and from outside of time.

In the Tube, wherever I looked, there were posters of Kate Bush in a pink leotard staring into my eyes and I was - of course - transfixed.

I was walking the sleet filled streets in a winter storm on my way to a night shift at my first job but in my head I was out on the wily windy moors and I was rolling and falling in green. I had left my first girlfriend behind in Australia to come to London and her name - of course - was Cathy.

By the end of the year I was in Australia again.

4 months later - her car wrapped around a tree on a long drive home after seeing me - Cathy was dead.

I played Wuthering Heights and each night I listened at my window.

Sometimes, I still do.

Best wishes

Dave

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Lee Penman's avatar

Thank you so much for sharing your story here. That is indeed tragic and leaves me at a loss for words. I hope life is treating you well and that your memories and the song bring you comfort in some small way.

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David Kirkby's avatar

Thankyou Lee.

Back then, I felt like I had also hit a tree - mentally, emotionally - but life goes on, and mine has been mostly fortunate.

I found your post because Meg, the marvellous woman I love, restacked it, then tagged me in her note and added the words: "Darling … here’s your crush !!!!" (She knows I adore Kate Bush, as she does also).

My reply was "Ooohhhh…. you replaced her, Babe. :) "

But by the strangest coincidence - entirely unknown to Meg - when she tagged me in her Note I was at that very moment just finishing a poem about grief for a local writing project, and in that poem I reflect back on Cathy, the gift she gave me, and the lesson in life's fragility that I learned from it.

So I read your Post, and I was back in London in January 1978 - vividly - and that prompted me to write what I wrote.

It was all a long time ago now, but I went to her Mother's funeral last year, and I do think of Cathy often. We shared a birthday, and last week I turned 65 for her.

Thanks for writing your post about Kate Bush, and thank you for your kind words.

As I write this, it's a day of bright Winter sunshine dawning outside. It's time for me to stop writing. Meg and I are about to go white water rafting on a wild river through a rainforest.

Life goes on!

Best Wishes - Dave :)

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Nirmala Cruller's avatar

At age 19 ..How I wanted to be her ..,calling to Heathcliff…♥️💃🏽🪶

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Maia Nuñez's avatar

She’s one of my absolute favorites! What a beautiful article <3

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Lee Penman's avatar

Thank you so much, Maia!

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Nicole Borduqui's avatar

Her music transcends time and space, a true inspiration. Thanks for sharing this article!

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Lee Penman's avatar

They do indeed. Thank you for reading.

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Mindy Henken's avatar

Sorry. Not my favorite artist (BUT A GREAT ARTICLE)!

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