Seven scenes of Father’s Day

Photo by edwin josé vega ramos on Pexels.com
(I)
In Mayfair a daughter Skype’s her Father in Dubai
he apologises he isn’t there then his phone rings and he isn’t there
she has all the things she could want in the world and she is his world
but he isn’t there, he is in the moment of closing a deal with men, no women.
(II)
In Grenfell tower ruins a watch from Portobello market is frozen in time
its face has two hands sweeping across a burnt-out face that is still
the person who wore this watch was the son of an immigrant
someone disturbs his bedsheets and his ashes go home to?
(III)
Far from Grenfell tower, The Shard shines like a brand-new pin
a widowed Father explains to his son that life is like London
that his Mother is in the doves of Big Ben when it chimes
spraying out like a lily among the cold grey vastness
(IV)
In a youth detention centre a young Dad is finding himself for his son
tomorrow he will post a letter littered with spelling mistakes
his grammar is all over the place like his head was that night
when his son read his letter there was no judgement, none.
(V)
In Afghanistan the average age of a person is now nineteen and ancient
everyone is a child and as you read Afghanistan what did you see?
did you see the mountains shaking in the heat?
or did you see a person shaken, a soldier?
(VI)
In Uganda, a miner is pulled from the grounds eye covered in lime
they lay his body on the dirt and ask permission for water
they ask again for permission for water, they ask again
they carry the miner in cotton to a designated plot.
(VII)
At the council cemetery a Father washes his daughters stone face
he wants to leave working class druids, the princess from Frozen,
an owl with solar-eyes but these items are strictly prohibited
he leaves them anyway, they are removed so soon, like his child.
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