~
it’s a pretty walk
through a cool avenue
beneath oak and lime
once a part of Arden,
the trees sprawl a little
haphazardly now,
a mixed bag, still
welcome all the same
on this first flame of June,
the tiny church built in
leftover stone blocks
from the big house
that are too large for
its timid footprint, seems
embarrassed to sit there
meekly hunkered down
half-hidden in uncut grass
inside, a family
with two teens in tow
all clad in over-tight
football livery including a ball
sit jammed in one short pew
like jelly babies in detention,
thankfully surprisingly,
they are reverently silent,
the aging notices everywhere
beseech us for upkeep donations
and bizarrely in such antiquity
proclaim ‘eco’ credentials
religion gone green,
perhaps it’s the lichen
covering the tombs outside,
as we depart the jelly babies
already outside
bounce the ball
off eco-gravestones
that cringe askew
like spat out teeth,
sadly there is no sign of
parental censure from no: 7 or 9,
*
© Graham R Sherwood 06/23
grahamrichardsherwood.co.uk 