Thursday, August 29, 2013

Remembrance Day


She knows the names
of the trees
on their walk
through stippled grave stones,
untamed grasses.

Spring sun spears
fat broad leaves
Moreton Bay Fig,
Acacia,
Larch.

He wonders and wanders,
from tomb to tomb:
the naming of things,
a mythical art
too puzzling for him to scry out.

Oh look! An anchor,”
salvage of ship-wreck,
called in now for memory's mark.

Was it Cutty or Dunbar?”
he used to remember,
worrying now that it's all gone, too far.

It's ok darling,
let's visit your Mother”
nervous of what they called
'undue distress'.

Gently she guides him,
past white mausoleums
small mound,
black cross,
Robyn's nest.

She's dead?”
and he kneels,
Ten years in November”
It doesn't seem possible”
Well it's quite certain now.”

You're angry.”
Just tired. I want to go home.”
Well we shall,
by the butcher's.”

And so they return.

Past Moreton Bay Fig,
Acacia
and...

?

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