The day after
The men continue to gather
in the squares and streets of the town.
Why are they here? They say they’re waiting
but they don’t know what for. The women
have decided to leave them and look for
a different name for contentment.
The children have gone with them,
they've accepted their fate.
The dark sky descends from the mountains
to warn those who will listen
that there has been a mistake. The sea
promises to build castles of sand
and to destroy them again every night.
Outside the doors of offices,
we grow frightened for no reason
and write silent letters in smoke.
Nobody remembers when this began.
The airport’s full. We want our things,
the things we need, but there is
nobody we can ask.
If only some definite disaster
had appeared, if only we could
foresee when it would happen
or where it would end.
Everything we’ve lost
returns to the squares and streets
where we have to wait
while the men decide to apologise
and ask the women to come home.
Under the clouds the children play
with new friends on the beach
where the sea no longer sings.
9 May 2015
Tom Phillips
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