you have my brother’s name and my grandad’s smile
he’s your dad, isn’t he?
in the tree lined street a lady passes by
a gate on her way to the garage facing the sea
to meet her lover
like charles, her offspring saw mary
at a party, never wanting to leave her
but he must, for playing antony and cleopatra
with mary would defy the deities, convention and belief
and like cleopatra in a tiny locked room with antony and
caesar, mary must pretend she does not know him
seasons went by, wrinkles appeared
the lover now old and forgetful no longer recalls
those days
when her offspring, on his way to school
passed by the gate
behind which, unknown to him
little mary played with her rubber duck
so close, so far away, at the same café table
for convention must be uphold
charles and mary talk, as if nothing was
