The ladder ...

It's like going up to a diving board my dad had told us -

That's how it is - 

There are other chaps ahead of you, climbing up the ladder - 

Then it's your turn, and you're on the diving board - 

There's no one ahead of you - 

*

I thought of those who had climbed up the ladder before my dad -

His older brother, Bill - 

Almost all the members of the Class of 43 - 

Uncle Vic - 

His sister, Eileen - 

Larry, who'd been a good dancer - 

The boys at The Dogs - 

*

I saw the ladder resting upon the warm  earth - 

I felt its rungs under my feet - 

The higher I climbed, the colder was the air - 

16.21

Sunday 21 January 2018

The Old School House

East Stoke

Dorset