Smithereens Press Chapbooks Taking the Oath by Tom French | Page 32

The Living Room
for Ruaridh Thornton, at 7 and at 21 & for Rifleman Robert Frederick Kerbey 6924970

When he glanced in
at his grandfather
in the living room,
in his brand-new coffin,
Ruaridh enquired – “Did Bob
know he was going to die?” –
as if Death was a visitor
you dressed up for,
and Bob had showered
and shaved, combed his hair,
dried and dressed himself,
climbed in and simply lay down.
Then Ruaridh went one better –
“I’d love to have a go
in Bob’s coffin for about
twenty minutes”- as though
time was what we had,
and there was nothing
on this green earth, nothing
that could not be shared.

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