MEMORIAL - a poem

PHILADELPHIA

To a memorial in the chancel

 I wonder if he called her Phil,

his sweet young wife

who died too soon

leaving three babies motherless.

Did the birth of her youngest,

Peter,

cause her death?

And did they blame him –

this child who never knew

her breast,

her arms,

her love.

.................................................................

Written at a Festival workshop in Holy Trinity Church, Hurstpierpoint. Local poets and artists were invited to pick a church feature as a prompt, and this memorial slab in the chancel was my choice. The poems were later published in the church magazine.