At Ease of Lockdown (4 Jul 2020)
In the first half hour as many cats
as people came to church, now open
for silent prayer or half-hearted search
for prey. A pigeon cooed and a kite
flew over head. A potted graveside
plant blew over in spirited wind.
As time passed, a dripping tap became
a trickle into the sanitised
interior; one parishioner
stayed on to mow turf between the tombs.
All this the steward saw as stillness
in relief. Even so, his thoughts turned
to the comfort of home-grown courgettes.
Nigel Pearce