Crossbones Graveyard, Union Street, London SE1 1SD

Dear Tanya, Dear Gemma,
Dear Anneli, Netty and Paula…
Dear Tom with the
water pistols,
Sawday and Flemming…
Whores, virgins, maidens, crones
in stews

drowning
Winchester geese,
their corpses snatched.
Those who can’t afford the
headstone,
those that can but have no name
to adorn one

Take these ribbons,
tassels, belts and scarves,
these luggage tags
though you have nowhere
to go, these used hair ties,
bowties and bouquets
upside down,

drenched
in rain,
skulls in sharpie,
crosses in crayon

Worship the spear
creeping
through open grates. Feel
protected by the charcoal
knight.

But know
you are still
and always will be

Forbidden.