She was eleven, he was twelve
If into their shared past we delve
When first under one roof they were found
Passing ships in the playground

A slight girl with plaited hair
She never seemed to have a care
But surely she’d have been quite coy
If she’d met a taller, older boy?

Apparently not, though it’s hard to say when
Francesca first noticed Tatty Fenn
For the rest of us it would be hard to remember
Whether they met in May or November

But into our consciousness slowly crept
A little secret, badly kept
From the first, their coupling was obvious
To even the most naïve of us

While we all lunched on chip butties
They were in the corner doing ‘smutties’
We ribbed them, they never seemed to mind
They were too busy becoming entwined

Only their studies got in the way
Of them spending the whole time making hay
So needless to say, they couldn’t wait
And, barely out of the school gate

Malcolm did Francesca beguile
And ask to walk her down the aisle
If a blissful life for just those two
Sounded too good to be true

It was, and to prove it so
Kicking and screaming along came Joe
Then Charlotte made Fran and Tats plus two
Surely guys, this would do?

Er no, from this perfect love match
A little Samuel Fenn would hatch
And just as we thought they’d breed no more
Jonathan bounced in at number four

Life for the Fenns always seemed a breeze
Both Frannie and Tatty got their degrees
And with four little Fenns, it has to be said
Fran still had time to bake her own bread

Or make pasta, the world surely has a dearth
Of women like Fran, mothers of the earth
While helping the children to prosper and grow
She’d still time to spare to play the cello

And go to work, and do a degree
And be passionate about art history
While Tatty became a teacher of note
To keep the whole Fenn clan afloat

It seems fitting that the pinnacle of his career
Has taken him back to why we’re here
To the very place where it all started
Where he met the girl from whom he’ll not be parted

Now he’s head of sixth form at Wanstead High
And each day at work he must gently sigh
As the memories pour back of that time in life
When first he saw his lovely wife

Let’s hope as a teacher he’s lenient
When he spots two pupils whose time is spent
Not cramming knowledge into their heads
But inspecting the back of the bicycle sheds

Now it’s twenty-five years since their marriage was sealed
And the strength of their union has been revealed
Though their children are older than they were when they met
Their bones may be ageing, minds starting to forget

School friends that danced on their wedding day
May have spreading waists and hair that’s turned grey
But their hearts are as young as they ever have been
And the love of this couple is a sight to be seen

And we know it will only continue to thrive
And grow deeper over the next twenty-five
Blissful years, during which, I have no doubt
We will see some new little Fenns hatching out

So on their Silver Wedding let’s raise a glass
To the couple who are the best in class
Toast them with champagne, beer or eggnog
And I’ll bet you’ll persuade them to have a snog!

Joanne Ross – 18th September 2004