Champagne corks

Champagne corks

Nestled in a knife drawer

Saved as reminders

Of good health

Christmas cheer

Absent friends

How could they be forgot

Look so sad now

The pound coin missing

From the slot

Kept there for luck

When in truth

Life is much more

Random than dreamcatchers

How hard it is to forget

So many

Little things

Cut deeply to the bone

Even in afterthought

The panic of attention

When it would be nice

To disappear

The ache of loneliness

When the world wheels by

On a gurney

Full of last rites

Wrapped in body bags

With a smell of Christmas

Fit to choke

On Mr Kipling

The last of the turkey

Wrapped in cling film

Laid to rest

In the freezer

Saved for another day

That never seems to come

Put the champagne

On ice

Wait for the moment

Toast in the new year

With old acquaintance

Hope for better

Plan for worse.

And still be caught

Short

Without a first foot

As a lifeline.