Parents
My father hung in the belfry
so many called him father
but the old woman in the house where I lived
said he was my father.
When I met Mother superior her eyes
softened for a second
The hanging was an accident
at his funeral came the bishop attended
to stop any rumours of suicide.
The old woman and I watched the proceedings
at a distant
I did see the face of the prioress in the window
it was unblinkingly stern but in
afternoon light I saw tears in the corners
of her eyes.
The old woman cackled and said, she gave you
to me to look after.
I had a silver cross on my bedside table
the old woman said it was a gift in case I wanted
to become a cleric one day.