Departures

I

Blue car

Ferry her away

22 hours of hoarded tears

falling on Christmas –

A box of Lindt balls wetted by ‘why can’t we stays’? 

And other repetitions trapped inside 

Like overheating, barking dogs  

II

Blue packet 

it’s becoming a habit

Sudden, 

She goes on, gone on,

Fever at dawn

Biscuits in the night

She’s torn up 

Like packets of crisps

Light and Tangy mix

Sweet and salty –

Those tears would be 

If they’d ever come

III

Trapped in a room that’s not hers

It’s not lost on her

How dangerous it is 

constructed entirely of wood

How it had always been waiting to ignite 

Like this

Did the timber poison his mind? Goad him on? 

Are the walls to blame?

Freshly painted blue

And peeling