VE Day Lockdown Bunting

Red, white and blue

Fragile paper leaflets

Borne aloft on string and garden canes

Fluttering gently

In trickles of sunlight and birdsong.

Red the colour of blood shed,

Valiant poppies, red cross uniforms.

White the colour of surrender flags,

Tomb stones, peace.

Blue the colour of grief wept,

Empty skies, children’s ration books.

Red the colour of danger, fever,

Highest alert and bursting lungs.

White the colour of crumpled bed sheets,

Unwritten letters, lonely funeral lilies.

Blue the colour of ambulance lights,

Cyanosed skin, angels in scrubs.

Red the colour of love.

White the colour of hope.

Blue the colour of sadness.

Strung together, old stories and new

Red, white and blue.

Clare Masters 08/05/2020