Memory Box

Passport-sized photo:

Belle’s Barbara Stanwyck hair,

Quink faded to sepia

on the reverse,

“September, ‘49”.

Two initialled rings:

gold, worn and unworn

- long-unfingered,

since knuckles swelled

on clawed hands.

A pocket diary:

the flyleaf note “to A from B”.

January’s legible lettering

shrinking every day,

until it disappeared.

RAF Cap Badge:

his first, king-crowned,

changed in ‘52,

a detail, amid the fuss

and formality of coronation.

Tarnished cuff-links:

made from 2-Pfenning

coins - de-coppered

into verdigris -

design a faded memory.

Family snapshot:

Barrack stores sofa,

three boys, one girl

and ‘60s mum

with ‘50s dad.