no longer a prince

so his ultimate punishment 

is being just like me

 suddenly

the laughter of dry leaves 

falling in love

 setting out

with half a moon 

for company

 flickering candles

tell many shadowy tales

be quick now

 summer’s straw

autumn’s ashes

spring’s bricks

passing

the funeral cortège 

a delivery van 

  bone fox

in the cemetery of falling 

the day leaves

 leaves in the long wind 

the quivering of your lips

oh mammy mammy

 innumerable 

the leaves and the lives

in this pagination 

 reading the news

as the dusk’s colours deepen

same old news 

 in the cemetery 

leaves falling on toadstools 

buried treasure

 off sick from school

reading the Marie Celeste 

mum  mum