Selected Poems of Thomas Albert Fox
Volume four

Intercourse

tapping

the screen questioned
answers were tapped
clickety click
quickety quick

and upon the hourglass i
waited

the sand appearing to run

while it bided

exploring the whole earth
drawing refreshments
sipping my patience
until there appeared before me
"your mothers maiden name"

what mistake am i making now
tap tap

"your mothers maiden name"
tap tap tap tap tap tap tap atp
christ
tap tap
"your mothers maiden name"

it is asking me for her maiden name

my heart shrank,

how could i tell it something like that
it would know too much
it would know
her

my grandmother
her name it was
she took it from him
that man we never knew at all
taken by the Great War
leaving her
and the little maids
mum and my aunties
with his name
tap tap
"your mothers maiden name"

what did it matter
tap tap tap tap
the letters flowered over the screen

*****

it had been
i realised then that it had almost gone,
but for this asking.

the code
was unbreakable
who knew it but me
tapping
and that name appearing
distant
tapped out
and an hourglass waiting

dry
biding
and i watched
spellbound
how the letters coming together
held me held me held me
help me
help me
help
help
i am trying to tap
help
tap tap
tap

tap

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