Senryu - Memorials

FOR PEOPLE LOVED AND GONE

SENRYU FOR ZACH

'Zach's back!' Joyous the
Conference of Star-Fathers
We cannot attend

THE TENOR OF MY LIFE ...

Old hands breaking the
Last of the Ospringe bayleaves
Pavarotti died.

(6/9/07)

LOCKERBIE

Sidereal Mars -
My splitting head, the bombed plane,
Your tears on my phone

ROYAL MARINES BOMB

Stretchers passing me;
Young blood runs with mine in a
Theatre of war

M2 COACH CRASH

American friends
Hang in the Kentish air
Healers are coming

NINE/ELEVEN-TWELVE

Eleven a.m.
Mourning yesterday, today stops
I have just started

STATHAMS' M6 TRAGEDY

Under the carnage
A front page ad for the car
Soon closing my road

(Weekly News Thursday October 23rd 2008)

The grief of children
Heart-breaking.The naked trees.
The wreaths. The black cars.

(The Funeral, November 4th 2008-Our Lady Star of the Sea-Noon)

The spirits who made
These bodies beautiful are flown
We weep over bone

(November 6th 2008)

FATHER FRANK

Led to the last seat
I stood by your side; your grave
Received my red rose.

JANET, DEPARTED

No-one remembered
It was my fun friend who died -
I have stopped singing

MY DEAD POET

We walked, and smiled...
In Folkestone tunnel my husband
Picked up your pieces.

Senryu for Nancy

Rewind time - the friend
Distraught, steps, the broken head -
God, give back Nancy

99

No telegram -
Among the ashes
Only her plastic smile