Mrs Cook    by  Nicola Knox

always saving balls of wool
and ends of string     known to neighbours
as the thrifty widow of a great man
though his greatness might have been
forgotten but for her frugal thursday dinners
where his name was mentioned at least once

slightly acquainted with the classics
could have seen herself penelope
to his ulysses     save that between
each marvellous voyage a sickly child
arrived     never that happy ending
for growing cheerfully old together

looking back through long husbandless years
wished that she too might have seen
those blue islands of sun and sand
the gorgeous birds that flew out
to meet his ships     the brown girls
loveliest women ever encountered m'dear

the admiralty in sending her its great regrets
for a british hero's death     thought it prudent
indeed essential to national security
not to mention the culinary habits of those
pacific islanders involved in the dreadful fracas
our captain buried at sea     full naval honours ma'am

mrs cook
wondered sometimes why there was no button
or braid     no lock of the brave one's hair
and     without a child of his remaining
thought     as she stitched and mended
making do     that perhaps the captain
had been a dream     fantasy lover voyaging
always and always out of her arms

© Nicola Knox