pad day 3 - a world without me

This one was like pulling teeth!!

Without me

The washing would pile up
the kids would scrabble for
school uniforms, but maybe
someone else would do one mammoth
wash a week, instead of everyday.

Without me
the dishwasher would get stacked
higgledy-piggledy and no-one would complain,
someone else would have to nag the kids
about their homework
or forget about it
the world wouldn't end.

I imagine a quiet place
a jewelled garden in a Persian miniature
a place to sit in peace,
while they sort themselves out
and then I'll come back.

November poetry day 2 and 3

Day 2

Homecoming

The train glides
silver rails converging
past the football ground
there should be a brass fanfare
25 years since I lived here.

Someone has unpicked
and re-sewn the city centre
the same landmarks re-adjusted
a half finished face lift,
building abandoned
for the duration of the
economic downturn.

Duration was one of Dad’s words
hinting at life through
war and rationing.

No time to think of this
a sleeping child to shake
cases to heave onto the platform
a taxi to find
I’m going home.

Day 3


Planning

I tried to think of everything
what if the plane is late?
what if one of the kids get sick?
of course the kids did get sick
the day we were to fly, I almost
delayed, but couldn't wait another
day for what I'd put off for 8 years.