Two seats

It's a bit impertinent

To write this

When I

Didn't know you

That well

But I read

Your books

And taught your son

And you gave me a

Collection of your writing

So I thought I could give

You this in return.

You wrote about

Soundings -

Sailors taking soundings

Trying to fathom

The depths of

Meaning in the place

We both lived.

I loved the masterful

Elegance of

Your art form:

Swinging the lead

And letting it fly

At just the right

Moment so that it

Hit the water

Far enough for'ard

For the lead to touch

Bottom just

As the line

Became vertical.

Timing: a split second

To fathom meaning

And make sense

Of the darkness

Beneath.

...

Your two seats

Were like all the rest

In that instant

Before whatever

Political stupidity

Turned a flight

I knew nothing about

Into one

about which

I knew too much.

It was intermission
When I looked at my
Phone. Ballet
In the park. The
Twist and turn of bodies
Beautiful
Until it is shattered
By the news.

I can't make sense

Of it.

A line

Of words

Trying to sound

Depths which are

Immeasurable.

For Liam and Frankie Davison 17th July 2014