At the War Memorial


from the ABC set Something for the Weekend (May 2008)

At the War Memorial (21st May 2008, 11.28pm)

I fall on the hallowed grass
I push my back into the stone
I squint, bright-eyed, into sunlight
I drown in a sea of memories
I watch the tide as he rolls in on me
I lose count of the tidy white tombs
I gaze out onto the magic eye picture
I let Time creep behind the statue
I wait for a truth that hides itself
I kick off my tired shoes
I draw my sunglasses down like blinds
I hide my face in my knees
I let my body slide
I fiddle with last year’s fading poppies
I wait for the sun to yellow and sink
I sit until the day wears off
I watch Evening cast her cloak of stillness
I rest in peace beneath the lists
I feel my skin grow chill with dew
Where are you?

1
2
3
4
5

Discuss this piece in the abctales forum


Comments

LawOfTheOne | May 21, 2008 - 22:44

Very immersive piece. The repetition of "I" drew me in deeper and deeper as the poem unfolded. Capital T for Time and E for Evening is clever too, makes me look at them differently, subtle. Really liked it.

jennifer | May 22, 2008 - 07:07

Thank you very much, LawOfTheOne, I confess that I still like it too, the morning after!

jennifer | May 22, 2008 - 07:14

And for picking up the deliberate capitals; I do like to personify such things!