I sit in the chair still warm
from Graham’s form; a body
on it’s way out, but still
fit enough to return
to the woods.
Do you sit here, asked Zoe
and contemplate meaning
or do you see around you
things to do? We laugh
Both knowing that urge to do.
We are gathered this day
Cabin builders all,
Graham and Paul,
and JO, missing MJ,
and Paul in Spain,
Rose who’d made a 62
bread cake and Zoe
and Adelle and I.
‘I’m fine with everything, said Graham
I’m so lucky, he said, I’ve got time
to put things in order, see friends.
I’ve built the coffin, my only rule
was to use only wood that I’d gathered
over the years. Nothing new.
‘Yes, I’m fine, the only problem
is when people come to leave
saying goodbye, then I well up.
Natural, it’s emotional.
Have you seen Tim? I asked
‘I arrived early and found Tim on the roof
repairing some fallen tiles.
‘I’m early, I said, I’ve come to make some handles
for my coffin.’ ‘Help yourself,’ said Tim.
We had 5 courses. After smoked salmon on oat biscuits and home made humus, pheasant curry soup followed by Quiche – blast it with glutton flour pastry (That’s fine, said Graham, I’ll just have the filling and give the pastry to Paul). Zoe bought a huge splendid traditional triffle. Adelle bought a glutton free almond apple cake. Finally French goat cheese from Paris. Coffee and Lapsang Tea.
As the winter light was fading (a minute less every day), sun setting behind the naked trees, Graham insisted on putting up the gift from Graham, a Wedding Circle, used for Zoe’s wedding at Batemans Barn. He was tidying up his things, spreading out the stuff hanging around.
My only regret, (except for not putting in an openable window), I said, was not spending time with you while you built the cabin. So we recalled the time, and Paul saying to me when I said I need to put off for a year, Rachel do it now, it must be now. How right he was.
Graham led the project. Always arriving early for a working day (‘I like to be before the others, to get myself organised), he was ahead from the beginning. From arriving with a sketch for the 8 sided hut, (thank goodness we never did this, he said)
We did not dally with dismal politics (the day before the Conservatives under Boris, won a stonking majority, trashing labour and a chance of another vote to veto Brexit) . Zoe summed up: the woods are the best place to be today. I recalled the beginning of the woods project, Trump just elected, the madness of the referendum, when we still believed it was not possible. I wrote then, the woods is the best place to be. Instead we talked of anecdotes, of our lives, Rose and Zoe easy and caring.
Graham listening and looking around. ‘It must be fine to wake up to the eastern morning light’ he said looking across to the bed.
Kaliwood 