Grave Visit (IP)

By Rhiannonw

Sat, 02 Aug 2014
  • 2261 reads
8 comments
 

Black boots, brown boots in a line,
looking very smart and fine,
with spit and polish mirror shine:
Papa’s, Mama’s, John’s and mine.

We’ll be following the hearse,
’cos Grandad’s cough got worse, and worse
– it killed his body, not his soul,
his coffin’s going in a hole.

As to the ground it was committed
‘Look sad, ’cos smiling’s not permitted’,    
John said, to make me laugh or squeak
just as the man began to speak

Mama bent and picked me up
– her kisses helped my giggles stop,
John was passed to Papa’s side –
peeped up at Papa, Papa smiled.

[IP: the black boots looked fine … smiling wasn't permitted]

 

Certificate U
Poem
Families
Historical Fiction
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Bee on

What a lovely scene! I love the childlike - almost like a suitably slowed down skipping rhyme - lines. So hard for little ones to behave sad at funerals. Glad Dad smiled. 

Your poem is a gem!

Bee

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

– so giving the lie to John's claim of 'smiling not premitted'! Thanks for telling me you liked it, Bee,
regards, Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Hydra on

Imaginative use of the IP and well written to. I'm guessing their might be some luscious red fruit heading your way. If there is, it will be well deserved. If there isn't, it's still a wonderfully warm poem.

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you so much, Scorpio. I enjoyed sorting this one out very much. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by celticman on

a childish glee, that's for me.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, but rhymes don't come to me so easily!
Rhiannon

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Rhiannon

I do like this poem very much. I can't remember being at any burials as a child - and our grandkids weren't old enough to come to the funeral when Philip died. But I can imagine this scene happening just as you wrote it.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Jean. I think I was thinking back further to my mother's childhood - photos of those boots! Rhiannon