Bunting

Flags hang from shop windows
no bed sheet has been left unpainted.
The fountains have been turned on for the first time

since Mandella
and on Millenium Square an orchestra
plays symphonies specially composed.
Every sofa bed is folded out tonight

every spare room has been duveted tonight
because everyone is here today.
Back gardens have tents full of cousins
campfires and tins of sausages.

The sky is full of hot air balloons
and the man in the corner shop
will be asked a thousand times
"what is going on?"
and he will relish retelling each of them the story
of this day last year

of the church roof collapsing
of men digging through rubble
and the triplets being born.