Mary Michaels
St George's Gardens
In St George’s Gardens (once the churchyard)
a row of men are talking and drinking,
standing or sitting in the shade on benches
between the grey path and the dark stone wall.
They lean forward - the ones standing -
stabbing a finger to emphasise a point
with the hand that’s wrapped around a cider can.
They reach up - the ones sitting -
slicing the air to mark out what they mean
setting it straight
insisting
explaining
their explanations are perfectly plain
but must be repeated
and repeated again
They smoke
they stretch to shake each other’s hands
a thin black dog wanders round their feet
between plastic bags of unopened cans.
The tall one bends to ruffle the dog’s head
the young one goes to have a pee behind a shrub
the stream of talk seems unstoppable
as if speech will never run out.
Behind the benches, above them in a line,
white gravestones lean against the wall
the most eloquent speakers of all.
Page(s) 34
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