We shared a bedroom
Just him and me
A world in which we talked and played
And fought and plotted.
Down by the bridge over the railway
Sliding its slopes on rusty corrugated iron
Probably the odd asbestos sheet
Tadpoled in pools where poorly drained.
The old coal tower a dangerous magnet
Never talked of to parents
Climbing the ladders
Exploring abandoned, silted bins
So many adventures and memories
Into my adult years and now
Saying goodbye to him a slow process
In my heart he will always have residence.
Brian Matthews, 12/8/21
Brian’s Reflections 