Poetry competition - awarded joint second

Christmas Eve - the busiest day

From dawn till dusk, heavy hearts pass through ornate gates, 
Pinned wide to welcome. Parked cars edge the manicured verge. 
Satin bows and emerald wreaths, like the thorns of grief, 
lean against weathered granite. While some have crosses to bear.
Robed angels peruse chiselled psalms upon gilded pages, 
comforting those toppled by grief – leaning, tilted or eternally broken.
Solitary figures, with downcast stares, replay memories upon tufted earth.
While patient relatives respectfully wait, a distance away, beside an unseen stranger.
Lengthy absences explained, undying love declared and faith renewed. 
Amidst the lengthy pause, a stream of comforting words is imagined, in reply.
Overhead towering yews, naked of life or leaf, whisper loudly,
While wringing hands, muttered prayers and tears seep freely below.
No gifts of gold, frankincense or myrrh but a simple pebble – a parting 
gesture placed upon a well-worn headstone.


I'm thrilled to reveal that my poem 'Christmas Eve - the busiest day' was chosen by John Burton, from the George Eliot Fellowship, to be awarded joint second in a local poetry competition. Nowadays, I don't write much poetry but I try to participate in anything that keeps the creative juices flowing freely. It provides my brain with a respite from my usual writing and sometimes, produces an unexpected piece.