I am at the back
with brush in hand and bitten lip
grass at bottom sky at top
next to beaming Marjorie who died
smiles and frowns on many infant faces
many I recall though some are lost
By the bench
where I stand is visual-aid for sums above
three birds four flowers five cherries
six orange pippins carrots seven swans
we later painted skylarks seventeen
And seventeen
the guiltless faces sometime learning grass
grows upward sky comes down
and somewhere out of sight they meet
And somewhere out of sight and out of time
are doctors soldiers jailbirds lovers parents
many grandmas - many flowers
happiness and sadness
many glories many graves