Home for Christmas
She sits in her armchair
settles to watch the soaps
sips tea from a china cup
Snug in her dressing gown
her slippers, half on her feet
she smells of the perfumed bath
she had earlier
Bubbles fizz in her curls
and her widowed eyes water.
There is ring on the doorbell
and a cold draught in the hallway
Her soldier grandson arrives
wearing civvies and a smile
“Have a can nan" he laughs
They slurp together by the fire
let the tea go cold.
The soap dissolve in the air.
and the dogs curl at his feet
She wipes tears from her eyes
sees the unshed ones in his.
sally james
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