Smoke hung low over the cemetery,
from allotments across the street.
Blows her nose on the sleeve
of her coat.
“Damned bonfires,” she mutters
dabbing at her cheeks. “Damn him
and all.”
He’d been gone ten years since;
‘a saint’ his congregation called him
and to some, undoubtedly, he was.
Her saviour even; giving her a steady,
well paid, housekeeping job.
She looks beyond the tiny, village
churchyard to scrubland stretching
for miles – barren as her womb
since that fall, down his stairs...
almost two decades ago. Slowly,
she kneels down at his graveside,
crowded by thistles; amongst
the thorns, a thriving clump of rue.
Should she weed it? Like hell
she should; wasn’t his skivvy,
not anymore.
“As ye sow, so shall ye reap”...
the inscription on his headstone.
The man willing to be Father
to all...except their son.
Comments
MistakenMagic | May 9, 2010 - 09:49
'She looks beyond the tiny, village
churchyard to scrubland stretching
for miles – barren as her womb
since that fall, down his stairs...
almost two decades ago.'
- these lines will stick with me for a long time, Tina! You get a real sense of the pair's relationship and with each stanza you build the details. Really loved this! Well done ;)
Magic xxx
Silver Spun Sand | May 9, 2010 - 09:59
Magic - it really meant a lot to me that you got so much from this. I wasn't sure where it would take me when I started to write it.
This is the start of a busy week for you and I am thinking of you;-)
Thanks again.
Tina xxx
shoe | May 10, 2010 - 09:59
So much between the lines here, I like the rue, nice touch.
Silver Spun Sand | May 10, 2010 - 10:08
You noticed;-) Wondered if anyone would.
So pleased you got so much from this, Shirley. You made my day. Have a nice one too.
Tina x
Ros Glancey | May 10, 2010 - 15:21
I really liked this. A life in so few words.
Silver Spun Sand | May 10, 2010 - 15:40
Ros - really appreciate your kind comment. Thank you, so much;-)
Tina
Beeme | May 10, 2010 - 16:48
I really love this! Each stanza is very detailed which makes the poem very effective. Like Ros says 'a life in so few words.' Brilliant :)
Beeme xx
Silver Spun Sand | May 10, 2010 - 17:13
Hi again, Beeme;-) I guess you are way too young to remember a TV programme called, 'This Is Your Life' with a guy named Eamon Andrews. He used to tell the story of someone's life in thirty minutes. I guess I even did better than him;-)
My thanks to you for your, as always, thoughtful comments. Have a good week.
Tina xx
Dynamaso | May 11, 2010 - 05:00
I don't know how you do it, but you always dazzle me. I don't have a favourite line or stanza - I think the whole piece is brilliant.
Silver Spun Sand | May 11, 2010 - 07:35
Thank you, so very much;-) You're quite a 'dazzler' yourself. Have a good week.
Tina
WillSimpson | May 17, 2010 - 12:57
Really is a wow, my grace would love it. Alot of it rings true for us.
WillSimpson | May 17, 2010 - 12:59
Does rue always grow back no matter how much you weed it?
Silver Spun Sand | May 17, 2010 - 13:18
Hi there, Will;- Thanks for reading and taking such an interest. Much appreciated.
As far as rue growing back when weeded, I am not sure. I believe there are various kinds, i.e. goat's rue and meadow rue so it is possible that some forms of it are easier to get rid of than others.
Pleased you liked this one;-) Have a good week.
Tina
maggyvaneijk | May 18, 2010 - 15:27
What a beautiful poem, your poetry is always so carefully constructed - you set a scene that is so engaging it's hard to pull away from.
Silver Spun Sand | May 18, 2010 - 17:26
Maggy - coming from yourself, I take that as a great compliment. Thank you;-)
Tina