I submitted the original poem that you all saw but now that it's been marked I'll paste it here for those that want to see.
**
Every day a child walks beside her father to his grave.
This might be the man that grew her,
this might be the man that ran.
What reflections call her?
What comparisons made?
Who was this man that she was sending on an every day journey?
The sun beat down upon the heads of the congregation
as they gathered from afar.
No bells rang on this Caribbean isle
no steady hearse along the road.
But still the cars turned in to bring thanksgiving for this life
this life she never knew.
They had put a hat upon his head,
Funny that they should give him a hat
and a nice crisp new shirt.
He?d never normally wear a tie except on Sunday
yet here was a dickie bow on Tuesday!
His suit was smart
the smartest she?d ever seen
and his shoes shone bright
his farmer?s face washed clean.
His roughened hands encased in new white gloves
a red rose in his lapel
he looked like a bridegroom
Who knew those gloved hands hid a violent fist
A bruised young wife with frightened child packing her bags to leave.
?Ballie loved children?
Time after time those words rang out
amidst the nods and tearful smiles.
An old widow puts her own fist inside her mouth
to stifle the incredulous laugh that wouldn?t stay down.
The minister held forth
the prayers rang out
the people mourned
and the choir sang the coffin into the ground.
Not earth filled here
but concrete sealed the tomb
whilst sealing in her tears.
She needed to go.
She did not belong here.
***
So there it is! Now I'm trying to catch up on my French (which went by the wayside because of the funeral). The house is the pits. Thankfully the cleaner is coming tomorrow so it won't look so piggin awful but I need to get the kids to tidy their rooms.
Just about to send the DTs up for their bath and then they'll be in bed. DD2 has to finish her homework, DD1 has to come home from her friend's house, DS1 needs to get out of the bath so that I can send DTs up.
I need to buy some alcohol! Might just get some coca cola and finish off a bottle of rum... except that I am now officially on call again and just in case one of my ladies decides to give birth at this end of the on call period I'll have to stick to the 2 rum and cokes!
Triplets... been thinking about you all day my darling. Shabby, look after yourself.
Ruby.. so good to have you here. No sign of April yet (poor love probably still in shock).
Overrun... we don't see you for ages and then suddenly you're prolific again
Chops, Dingdong, TK, LG etc etc (where is that lovely Twinkle and also MadScientist and Shazz and Pazza etc etc) loving you. Leaving you (for now). Bed time routine bellowing!