Just over five years ago my parents scattered the ashes of my eldest sister here on the White Horse
She had died in an accident
My parents never came to terms with our loss
They never smile
A light has been extinguished
Polly was lying in the long day grasses
I have composed a short poem
Adam looked into the middle distance at the cement works and the railway line that ran past it
When I was at school I could see the tall chimney of the cement works from my classroom window
I was always able to tell the weather by the direction of the smoke released into the Westbury winds
I am never seen it smoking
It packed up many years ago
Polly smiled at her husband who was running a reed of grass between his fingers
May I hear your poem?
It is very poor
Where did it originate from?
It originated from my heart
Well as the keeper of your heart I insist that you read it to me
The wheat is being collected
The sun is being reflected
Summer is at its height
Let us not wish for the night
Nether Polly or Adam spoke they watched as a London bound train raced by through the late summer fields below
I fear that it is late and catching up on time
Adam did not answer
Polly gripped his hand tightly
Do you know that on the day Mum and Dad released Lucy’s ashes they were delayed by a chap who had climbed down on to the eye of the white horse
It seems that he was reliving a childhood adventure
At first Mum and Dad did not want to disturb him as he was having so much fun
But the eye was also Lucy’s favourite spot and they felt that was where she belonged
The stranger was most apologetic when he was asked if he would let them scatter Lucy’s ashes and give them time to reflect on her life
The strange thing was that the stranger a man of about fifty then simply vanished
It was as if he had not existed at all
Polly began digging a small hole in a gap between the long grasses
What are you doing?
I am digging a small hole so that I may deposit my poem here
Perhaps Lucy will read it after we leave
Polly carefully placed the small sheet of paper on which the poem was written into a shallow intrusion
She covered the poem so that the winds would not release it
For you Lucy
As they were walking down the steep hill towards the town Adam turned to his wife
Your poem did it have a title?
Not really but I think I may call it The Shadow Fathers