Saturday, 19 September 2020

Today, Margate cemetery



Today, under a wide, white Thanet sky,   
we went to Margate cemetery 

I wanted to tell my Dad that John Peach had died. 

He never wanted his sister to marry John

And yet they stayed together for 60 years. 

It’s not as though I can send my Dad a text 

To: George1925@bonesunderground.com

Subject: your brother-on-law has died. 

I wouldn’t do that even if he were alive.


And so I went and cleaned their grave

Told them our news: John, the funeral, the pandemic 

they couldn’t understand, And took them flowers,

Glad that my guerrilla plaque to my Mother had not been taken away.  


The flatness of Thanet affronted me anew. 

We spent our lives going back and forth over the Peak District,

And I wondered what really made him relocate us there. 

There was always the story of how he’d liked the area 

from when stationed in Deal

But there are so many different stories that I can no longer 

believe the simple one I was told. They feel dirty, like lies. 

I know that if I asked someone else

It would be a totally different point of view. 

But we are all multiple beings, reflecting different facets for the moon, the light  

And so all I can do is accept I know a truth, just the one potential one

Among the many  


LMCollis 19.9.20

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