Home wanted - ring
Two seven one double three.
Lift the ’phone. Or
let it lie.
Lift; right up.
Or lie.
I could stretch the hand like that,
So easy,
Cup the receiver in the hollow of my hand,
Tear from its cradle...
Words.
They lead you on too far.
God have mercy, mercy.
The cradle - souls born into babies,
Swathed in little woolly things - and
made by whom I wonder?
Did it hurt - very much?
Knit one, slip one - weep, weep, grey
woman - drop one
(No, two; drop two. Giles 13 and Polly 7),
Pass the slipped ones over
To empty walls,
To makeshift arms,
To lino hard for soft-curled toes in
joyless walking,
To smells and space and not a place to
hide
Or live or love or let live love or be
at peace.
The cradle’s empty now, my Giles, my
Polly;
Thirteen, seven,
Dirty heaven, hell on earth today,
Tomorrow, mother gone
And sorrow
Gladdest day compare with your dark
night.
Giles thirteen and Polly seven,
Giles and Polly.
Thirteen. Seven.
Unlucky age, my farmer Giles.
All farmers live upon their losses, so
they say,
And you must know that now; you’ll not
forget?
Forget - and Polly seven; old, old
number
Of perfection;
So aching old at seven,
A child as perfect as that Gift,
That Mary’s child.
What fear - full, weeping travesty.
Polly put the kettle on - they’ve all
gone away.
Giles (thirteen) and Polly (seven) -
home wanted, Home
Not wanted.
Not that self-importance.
Cut out the self - home wanted.
A little humble home, with a little,
little h
(A lower-case letter, isn’t that it?
Words, words... “he that is low need
fear no fall”..)
Giles thirteen and Polly seven
Flung
With battered case (law case, suitcase
- all the same)
Flung against the instituted Home.
Charity begins at home, they say.
They say.
Ring 27133.
Ring.
Did she have a ring, the woman?
I have, can have, so much.
Cup the receiver in the hollow of Thy
hand
(Cup the water to me who thirst,
To me the receiver of stolen goods -
goods once wrenched
from
love;
Cup the fresh fountain in Thy torn
hands
Brimful with mirth and mercy).
Bless the empty cradle.
(Undated, between 1966 and 1970?)
