Poem 252
These graves I think were meant to go on the second trip – the first ship with its full cargo of remains sank off Northland …
( I like the chime of voyage/village and the double meaning of righted … )
The Ship
The Chinese intended their dead be taken back could only fully let go when it was the middle kingdom that covered them in the interval they were allotted this part of the cemetery no doubt suiting both sides in a country of signs on pub doors and 'yellow peril' two brothers set about raising funds for the voyage to uplift the village inside the neat white fencing Bolton Street's less sunny aspect somehow the plan fell through and when what was temporary slipped the ground settled on them they joined the patient queues like someone whose letters have dried up the white fencing fell and was not righted bones ceased sleep talking of home though still the sense lingers of waiting the apocalypse shelving spade of a motorway or here in this corner the creak of the trees like a mast