The poem
Waiting for her in the usual bar He finds she's late again. Impatience frets at him, But not the fearful, half-sweet pain he knew So long ago.
That cherished perturbation is replaced By styptic irritation And, under that, a cold Dark current of dejection moves That this is so.
There was a time when all her failings were Delights he marvelled at: It seemed her clumsiness, Forgetfulness and wild non-sequiturs Could never grow
Wearisome, nor would he ever tire Of doting on those small Blemishes that proved Her beauty as the blackbird's gloss affirms The bridal snow.
The clock above the bar records her theft Of time he cannot spare; Then suddenly she's here. He stands to welcome and accuse her with A grey 'Hello'.
And sees, for one sly instant, in her eyes His own aggrieved dislike Wince back at him before Her smile draws blinds. 'Sorry I'm late,' she says. 'Where shall we go?'
Ithink this poem is about patriotic love and separation.This man really loved this woman to the extent where he cherished her mistakes or even her failings. He would sit and wait for her without getting annoyed however this has changed as the cherished annoyance of waiting for her has been replaced by styptic irritation.The man has reached the point where he has gotten impatient from waiting on her. The woman is also suffering from the effect that the change in the relationship has caused. At the end of the poem we see that there is some amount of doubt and uncertainty about the future of the relationship as the question 'where shall we go ?' suggests uncertainty.