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Paul Brookes

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She is Forgetting Him

Steve says his wife often
comes into their bedroom
and says "Where's Steve?"

And he says to her.
"I'm here love. We've
been married forty years."
And she says,
"Of course you are. We have."
And she laughs.
"How did we first
get together?"

At the end of the next day,
when they've been out
to the shops and visiting
old friends she'll say,
"What have we done today,
Steve?" And she remembers
none of it.

At mealtimes she picks
up her knife and fork
and holds them very close
to her glazed eyes.

Holds them
like javelins to eat
her meal.

(II)

You've stolen them.
Haven't you?"
"Stolen what, love?"
"You know what.
Look?"

She shows him her
fingers, and he sees
they are no longer fat
but thin to the bone.

"Come on,love.
They must have dropped off.
I'll help you look for them."
He offers.
"In the place you've hid
them. I bet. I know
your game, Steve.
I'm wise to you."

Paul Brookes was poetry performer with "Rats for Love" and his work included in "Rats for Love: The Book", Bristol Broadsides, 1990. His first chapbook was "The Fabulous Invention Of Barnsley", Dearne Community Arts, 1993. He has read his work on BBC Radio Bristol and had a creative writing workshop for sixth formers broadcast on BBC Radio Five Live.
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