Grandad

For Alexander

You crafted two shields,
heraldic moments
of armoured knights.

A jewelled broadsword,
argent crosslet
on azure and sable field.

Immersed in castles,
medieval weaponry,
heroic stories

with Grandad,
up to his elbows in arms,
nobles, chivalric foibles.

You journeyed together,
reliving your shared past,
pilgrims on rusty steeds.

Frances March © 2015

Dad’s Cello

For A and B

She stands in the corner
spruced and maple-shined,
waiting for your touch,

light on her strings,
your bow strokes
resonating in her belly.

Melody rises as yesterday’s
dissonance is massaged
to harmony.

Frances March © 2015

The Table

For Dad, 1907-1998

Three ship’s oak panels
re-worked by your patient hands –
our dining table.

Ingrained with our lives’ imprints,
polished over and over.
Sometimes they’d seep out

into tantrums,
sighs, laughs, fears,
solemn looks, goodbyes.

Your place is still here
for smiles and fair comment.
You, Dad, at the head of the table.

Frances March © 2017

……..

Frances is a poet and performer with the Cheltenham Festival Players. Published work includes Poetry Among the Paintings, 2015. She has been commended by The Broadsheet and the Poetry School and currently has a poem published on their blog. A recent poem is also appearing on The Wilson Museum exhibition website. She has an MA in Creative and Critical Writing from The University of Gloucestershire after a career in teaching English.