I assume you Still like Gerbras?

Just to clarify...A Gerbra is a variety of cut flower!

I assume you still like Gerberas?

I brought 'em especially you see,

I remembered after all this time that they

used to be

your favourite.

You used to be

a fan of Phil and Fern, it's Phil and Holly now.

It's controversial but I'm sure you would prefer her

but we'll never find out,

in fact

I don't even suppose to assume -

unlike the blooms -

to know the answers to all

the pressing matters

I would have called you for, like -

do you prefer

my hair short?

Or long?

I know, dead profound.

But you see, when you

used to be -

I would have called

and I would have asked and you would have told me and we

would have laughed

Until we cried.

Until we cried...

and now

I introduce my daughter, 'say hiya to yer Nan'.

She arranges the Gerberas around your headstone,

telling you about all the maths

she knows from school.

But you don't really listen and she doesn't really tell you.

We play this charade out every year.

It's more

questions than answers nowadays.

So, I just sit and watch her,

rearranging the Gerberas on your grave.

She talks like she has

all the answers,

and I watch her,

and I'm glad,

that she has.

Reviews

[Rosalind Gale]

I love this poem, Michelle - the feel, the funny elements of the structure, and the odd style you have, which is wonderful for me as I normally just 'pick out' writers that I like the look of, or a title gets my attention - I'm glad I just found your work by accident, a work in motion, a writer feeling themselves into their work - thank you, it's a lovely surprise when it happens (which is not that often) -
-x-

[Chaplily44]

Interesting style, its so unique! At first I was unsure about what was happening but as I read on I was taken with the scene and suddenly I knew what a gerbra was. Amazing piece and beautiful picture

[michelle]

Thank you, I'm glad you like it, It was written quite quickly, the words just 'came'. Sometimes it's not so straight forward is it!

[Laura Lynn]

the people in my family were creamated and we had scattered ashes or my aunt keeps them in an urn after the funeral, many of which I was not invited to as a child because they believed I was too young for such things, oh well

[michelle]

How do you feel about being deemed too young may I ask? Its just that I always wonder whether I am doing the right thing by allowing my Children to be involved with 'death', so I'm curious as to your thoughts?