Earlstown

by Sue O’Connell

 

The bus pulls into Earlstown

Ever heard of it?

No, I thought not.

Not even people who live five miles from Earlstown have heard of Earlstown.

It’s not exactly what you would call a cosmopolitan centre.

The bus stops at the newly constructed metropolitan council bus interchange

(colour theme : yellow and grey)

We have four minutes before we set off again on our journey.

I notice the War Memorial.

Poppy wreaths freshly set out there.

I look at the Role of Honour

Name after name

Sometimes a block of three or even four identical surnames

Brother? Cousins? A chance sharing?

How could so small a town,

A suburb of a suburb of nowhere

(Please excuse me people of Earlstown)

Give so much to a war?