Oh yes! I remember that day.

You’d gone back to London

the old taxi chugging.

I waved goodbye

as you rounded the lane’s bend.

 

There’d been flies in the conservatory for days

and you never did approve of spray.

I went to the hardware shop to buy a can.

The man behind the counter said

“Have you seen what’s happening in America?”

 

I walked home and guiltily

pressed the button down,

closing the conservatory doors.

Went into the living room and

turned on the TV.

 

Saw the scene of smoke and panic

chalky figures stumbling

Pompei on 7^th Avenue.

debris like snow new-fallen

and bodies bursting on the sidewalk.

 

I ventured back to our conservatory

where all the flies were lying on their backs.

Yes I remember 9/11.

The day I slaughtered all the flies.

　

　

 photo shows one of the preserved bodies from Pompei