poppies

• 'flattened, rolled, turned into felt'
• 'tucks, darts, pleats'
• 'ornamental stitch'
• 'crimped petals'
• 'spasms of paper red'
• 'sellotape bandaged around my hand'
• 'released a song-bird from it's cage'
• 'later a single dove flew from the pear tree'
• 'individual war graves'
• 'play at being Eskimos like we did when you were little'
• 'gelled blackthorns of your hair'
• 'i was brave'
• 'i listened, hoping to hear your playground voice catching on the wind'