Poppies quotes

• Three days before Armistice Sunday

  and poppies had already been placed

  on individual war graves.
• Sellotape bandaged around my hand,

  I rounded up as many white cat hairs

  as I could, smoothed down your shirts

  upturned collar, steeled the softening

  of my face.
• “The world overflowing

  like a treasure chest. A split second

  and you were away, intoxicated.”
• “Released a song bird from its cage.

  Later a single dove flew from the pear tree”
• “Skirting the church yard walls, my stomach busy

  making tucks, darts, pleats”
• ”I traced

  the inscriptions on the war memorial,

  leaned against it like a wishbone.”
• “Hoping to hear your playground voice catching on the wind.”