The sunken, frosted chest that once hung meat

weighed down with metal on Remembrance Day

frail tortoise necked and rheumy eyed

he couldn’t watch the

Sea Cadets Band,

couldn’t

watch the Jacks

lollipopping on the Glockenspiel

 faint tash

and cocky eyes

white gaiters flashing

without nodding back the tears remembrance brings

“They were kids,

They were just bloody kids,”

we looked away,

embarrassed by the show.

with straight line grin

and Grim, we

shouldered him back to his memories.