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Gingerly

Posted by camilla on December 18, 2011 - 16:19
from the ABC set Queen of the North

The funeral is on Thursday
I hate the idea of Crematoria
I don't know why a burnt body
is any worse than worms
but to me it is
and always has been
gone is gone
after all

I can stretch to thinking
resurrection of the body
if it is in one place
but not scattered
wherever ashes are scattered
Somewhere God is sighing
imagining putting infinite bits of DNA together
like paper from the shredder.
Supposing he sighs and says
"can't"
wouldn't that be a bitch
My imagination has stayed
pre Bronze Age
I obviously want to bury with
grave goods and a spear

On Friday
my Mother, the widow
comes for Christmas

I have bought
a soft jumper
hotwaterbottle
and a book

It isn't just no husband
she faces
but a move from all she knows
to come here
a tenant no longer a Chatelaine
tentative,supplicant
or to a flat in a block full
of strangers

If she did come here
we would shop together
go to plays
do things at school
and I
would always be in the wrong

We will move gingerly
around all of it.
and hit the sherry

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Comments

skinner_jennifer | December 18, 2011 - 16:35

Hi camilla,

I like the way you've moved from a funeral to
Christmas. It's so hard to spend Christmas out
of my comfort zone, so I could relate to the
Mother.

Great Poem and have a Happy Christmas and a
great New Year.

Jenny.

camilla | December 18, 2011 - 16:47

Thanks
and a Merry Christmas to you. My poor Mother in her 80s and with frail health cannot hit the sherry enough to blunt it all. The funeral really is on Thursday.The troops really were "home before Christmas".

So Christmas will be about nurture not merriment.

RachelPatricia | December 18, 2011 - 16:47

Wonderful, so moving and imaginative. Brought a tear to my eye and then a smile to my face with that final line. A stunning poem camilla - wishing you all the best for Christmas and the new year too :)

Rachel xx

camilla | December 18, 2011 - 16:52

Thank you and best wishes to all ABCtales people. ABCtales is wonderful for many reasons. It seems to gather talent ,imagination, and kindness.

Silver Spun Sand | December 18, 2011 - 17:26

Wonderful, Camilla...and a very happy Christmas to you and yours;-)

Tina

Parson Thru | December 18, 2011 - 19:35

Lovely poem and very topical here. With you on the crem! Having spent one's life under pressure to be efficient all the time I think it's worth insisting on a more natural despatch, however awkward and slow. Worms for me! Me for the worms.

widdicombe81 | December 18, 2011 - 21:04

very moving, well deserved cherries.

Highhat | December 19, 2011 - 04:31

Yes your poor Mum- having to move. Sorry for all of you. Good to know that you will be nuturing each other this christmas. Hope you get through it well!
Nice poem- says a lot.. no gravestone for me...

;)Pia

tcook | December 20, 2011 - 12:34

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camilla | December 21, 2011 - 19:52

Thanks. People keep saying they "hope it goes well". The mind more than slightly boggles at what they think might possibly "go wrong".