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.