All Saints Church, Steep, Edward Thomas in his sad khaki ...

A yew tree shaded us whilst we lay upon amongst the lichened stones - 

Outside the church, four men in black suits spoke in whispers - 

The noon sun hung in the bright air over the tower - 

I'd gazed at the memorials for the young men who fell from the sky - 

Richard spoke of the deep waters of Piburger See - I remembered the dark pines on the mountainside - 

After a while, the four men carried a coffin on their shoulders to the funeral car - they were followed by the mourners, the women in severe dresses, the men with glinting shoes - 

I told Richard that when I sixteen years old, I'd visit St Ann's Cemetery - I'd feel the cold wind in my long hair - 

My uncle and aunt are in there Richard said - 

We entered the church - the Bible on the lectern was open at Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3 - 

We read the beautiful ageless words - 

A tall man with a noble head told us about Captain Wyndham Halswelle - 

He won the gold for the 400 metres in the 1908 Olympics he said - a sniper got him at Neuve Chapelle - 

We then saw the restored memorial windows for Edward Thomas - there was his coat, hanging upon a kindly bough - his path was bordered by may blossom - there were the icy haunting stanzas of The New House - 

And there, carved into the pale stone, to right of Captain Wyndham Halswelle's name, was the poet's name - 

I saw him in his sad khaki, emptied of breath, words torn from his tongue - 

12.30

Thursday June 4 2015

All Saints Church

Steep