Bill

I remember you warning me about candles.

It was Christmas,

(well just before)

and I’d used a cardboard trophy box

to make my own advent calendar.

The sort with a candle for the Sundays

and two more for Christmas Eve and the event itself.

I think Joanna had made one too

and we brought them to show you and Granny,

proud of ourselves for putting them together.

 

You let us light them.

But probably only because everyone was stood there

and if something went wrong there were grownups

ready to leap in and save the day.

 

I learnt about France after you were gone.

Twenty-one with two friends and bikes

roaring across the country by yourselves.

Gran found the picture,

asked for it to be framed.

 

Seeing you young is strange.

It reminds me that my Grandfather

was not my father’s father

or the man my gran married,

he was someone else.

Someone who I never saw because I was born too late

and the sickness had set in

and children that age

don’t ask the questions

that you think about after someone’s gone.

---

I’ve been on a poetry binge for the last few days and last night I started think about how most of my family poems are written about my mother and her side. So this is me righting the balance somewhat and drafting up a piece for my Grandfather from my father’s side.