Tom Delaney

Inspired by and written for #Writephoto – thank you, KL

That’s all a bit freaky, but I am guessing it’s one of those days things happen. Just been to town and walked home through the graveyard, it’s a shortcut, made a coffee and click – arrrgh!!!! How does that even happen!!! The graveyard is an old one and hasn’t been used in over 80 years. Most of the stones are dilapidated by time but the one at the end by the gate is Tom…

Tom Delaney
Form: Free Verse

Walking home through stones and epitaphs autumn
sunshine on marble reflections
dancing in the home of the dead
no longer used to commit the recently passed
to a better place or not
like an overbooked inn
there’s no room
no room to die
no bright bouquets wither in memory
and I look for the newest stone
dated 1935
“RIP Tom Delaney, never to be forgotten”
but none tend his rest with care
except the wild buttercups in springtime
born in 1901
he died aged 34
the last man to be laid to rest here
amid the autumn leaves of October
and the stone tells no more
the unforgotten forgotten by time
like the rest of ‘em lying here
beneath weather-worn stone
so many wiped out by the wind and rain
but you, Tom Delaney
I know your name

©JezzieGFarmer2022