We stood on the doorstep, flames flickering behind us, and watched him walk away. He did not turn around.
‘Who was that?’ I looked at my mother. ‘Why did he smile and call me his?’
‘All in good time’, she said, her voice strange, and put her arm around me.
first sight
first love
first smile
first kiss
first
only
your name belongs
in every sweet song
on my lips
sunlight on rain pools
breeze ripples surface not depth
past times reflection
swimming with mermaids
I realised
silence fell
don’t let autumn
out today
together
my girl
that’s very kind
happy happy happy
enjoying
we broke bread together
and then
we broke the ground
burned dried branches
and spread the ashes on the broken ground
many years later
when neither you nor I
were here
the new trees grew
and houses became homes
we do not need
to be remembered
the buds on the trees
and the hands on the door handle
suffice
sleeping elephant
grass wind-shimmers in the sun
dreams of sky and sea
no clouds disturbing
tigered light through trees
green autumn unity
the smell of rain on dust
the one cool corner of the duvet
mango sprinkled with lime juice
the way you look back as you walk away
Come, break down my house.
Come, break it down with your hammers
your bulldozers and ugly angry men.
Break it down, cut down the trees,
turn the bricks to dust, the branches to ashes.
It smelled good the olive wood smoke
when it burned in my hearth.
Now it claws in my throat.
My house is gone, the trees are now cut.
My family stand in the swirling dust
and you laugh.
Laugh, laugh if you will,
but know this.
My house may be gone
but I have breathed in its dust.
My hair smells of the smoke of my trees.
My house may be gone.
My house may be gone.
But my home will always be here.
