She sang along

She sang along

To ‘Songs of Praise’

Not just below her breath

But out loud

A good soprano in full gusto

She was still a member

Of the church choir

Performing in nursing homes

For the ‘old people’

‘The sound of music’ was a favourite

On a good day, she could have

Been Julie Andrews

She wasn’t getting any younger

But thought she would get older

Before the train left the station

She dusted the front room

Polished the piano

Moved every picture, just a little

Cleaning the frames

Pausing to remember

Swallowing the tears

Replacing the antimacassar

On the sofa

Even though it was never dirty

Nobody but her had been in the room

Since at least July last year

But cleaning the parlour

Was a Tuesday and Thursday morning ritual

She couldn't let her standards slip

It was something for which she was known

People always left their eyes behind

When passing the small bay window

She knew they would notice

The smallest detail out of place

The old widow Fox

With a room full of clocks

Cleaned the step on Monday

After hanging out the washing

There wasn’t as much of it

Now that she lived alone

Birds flown

Her husband underground

Never found

One day they would reopen the seam

She was never sure what she felt about it

He lay undisturbed where he was

A bag of bones now

She was worried they would

Somehow spoil him

Tears would always fall

On the tiled hearth

When she black-leaded the

Cast iron fire surround

It was only ever lit on Sunday

When she had tea with scones

Clotted cream and a pot of jam

If she had company

She would have cut white bread

Sandwiches with tinned salmon or ham

Some day she would buy

Another jar of fish Paste

It had a unique taste

Peculiar but nice

It wasn’t her only vice

But when alone

All she did was sit,

Staring into the flames

Marvelling at their dance

Feeling the weight of years fall away

As in her head, the music played

She prayed

That one day they would dance again

Just one last time

Under the moonlight

Without the pain in her hips

She felt him kiss her lips

As she sang

‘Oh my love my darling

I hunger for your touch…’