Confusion

We forget the things that might have happened
the events that took place somewhere else
here in our world someone has died
all words end for her

Finished now the writing of lists
the remembering phone calls
the passing-on messages
being ready for other people

Think back beyond these last years
to the youth and the dancing days
riding on elephants
delighting snake-charmers

Before the texture grew tangled
and the words were spelled backwards
and life did not follow the hoped-for tracks
and the letters were hopelessly muddled

Voices are for the ordinary days
when the expected occurs - or nearly -
otherwise, we stand stricken and dumb
Waiting a sensible tomorrow

For Sheila, who died peacefully on Saturday, 18 November 1995, after a long life.