I'd moved to Billiton, part of the Shell Group, in 1982, working in The Hague on the South America desk. Out of the blue I was offered the position of Chief Geologist in Brazil, with a team of about twenty geologists working for me, and a large budget. Of course I accepted, and told Nilma. But it was not to be, the financing collapsed and instead the programme in Brazil was eventually closed down completely. The job offer was withdrawn. It must have been very hard for Nilma. Hence these two verses.
And So Not To Brazil!
(The Hague, 15/9/1982)
I wanted never to hurt you,
I wanted never to bring you pain.
You for me are too precious,
Your sorrow is my sorrow,
But harder to bear.
I never should have told you,
I never should have made you hope.
But they said it was fixed, secure, decided,
And I wanted to make you thrill
With anticipation for the future.
And now it's been unfixed, insecured, undecided.
And I am left to bring you tidings of sadness,
You that I love.
We'll pull through, you and I,
We'll put it behind us.
But I know there will be a place,
Deep inside,
Marked by the sorrow
I brought you.
God Bless Them
(The Hague, 15/9/1982)
God bless Nilma,
She understands too much.
It's hard to bear.
God bless Rebecca,
She understands too little.
It makes her cry.
God bless Elise.
She understands nothing,
She's a rainbow child.
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