Coming of Age On St Patrick's Day

COMING OF AGE ON ST PATRICK’S DAY It was a cold March 17th in northern England As the hearse pulled in thru the cemetery gates We followed in silence - no more left to say. Mother had been ill for so long, Never complaining - now released: I could hardly look over the pit edge Where she waited for my handful of earth, Tears, ashes to ashes, and dust. The rest of the day was just filling out forms: The remains are only a blurred memory. That evening my girl and I made love For the first time and made plans for our release From existence in that town for too long - Too dark and forbidding, for love, work, hope : We buried it in our memories as we lay On the carpet in the firelight: End of childhood, start of adulthood. Three weeks later we had shaken off the dust And were married in the warm spring of London. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Written by Sydney Peck Entered in Frank Herrera's Contest COMING OF AGE