Harvey
Tabloid revelations, the nation shocked; No surprise.
‘Blair secret promise to Bush on Iraq Invasion’
A gin and tonic and a tin of cashews.
Deathly silence all around
except for muffled whispers about lamb stew,
marble cake, and renovations.
No background music, no crooners, no big band.
The Prince Albert; a jovial free house
waits in silence, hard and soft cover books on dusty shelves.
Clearly life stood still on the Fens.
Old wall tiles dating back
and classic books from the sixties, a bonus at 20p,
the proceeds to a worthy cause.
She sits alone dressed in black
doodling on a small table with condensation
from a pint on a soggy coaster,
a poppy pinned to her coat.
Thinking of him, so proud in his 6th Regiment uniform
standing tall and bold and smiling
at the lens of a forgotten cameraman,
smart in the small oak picture frame
on her table.
A dozen well-wishers say goodbye
And leave her with a large swollen envelope,
the proceeds accumulated over weeks –
a few hundred in coins, notes, and cheques.
‘For Harvey’ written on the front.
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