Lift me up

Lift me up

One last time

Carry me out

Roll me over your heads

The way football crowds used to do

Behind the goal on the terraces

When little scamps were caught in the crush

Gently rolled down to the front

To watch the game from the sidelines

It never did happen to me

But it did to my brother,

He got all the breaks, even when he didn’t

Lift me up

Onto your shoulders

As I used to do with my children

When they were just

A couple of little rascals

Pulling at my hair, when I had some,

Raking my eyes

Tweaking my ears

Giggling every time I tilted them forward

Trusting that I would never let go

I never did until I had to

Feeling helpless whenever

Their lives hit a snag

Trusting that they would survive

Ask for help if it was needed

Which they always did until one day my son didn’t

Lift me up

From this dark trough

A well so deep I can barely see the stars

We used to watch

Shining in the night sky

Sitting together on the veranda

Wrapped up against the cold

Waiting for a shower

Of meteors, a lunar eclipse

An early morning flight

Of Starlings

Visiting from Europe

Bringing with them a murmuration

Of war

Lift me up

Put me onto the back of a cart

Wheel me away

Throw me into an unmarked grave

With all the other victims

Who are just as worthy of remembrance

Lift me up with your sad songs

Let salty tears roll off your chin

To dampen the skin on my face

Let me feel the warmth

Of your affection

One last time

Make me smile

It will lift me up.