Bright sun dances off

The Black marble

And the shallow valleys

Of the gold engraving.

My son slips his arm

Through mine

And looks up

Intently scanning my face

For emotion.

I gaze at the familiar details,

'Loving Husband and Father'

And the neat settled plot with

Its splash of fresh spring flowers,

Glancing around at the company

My father now keeps.

One brother.

A sister-in-law.

Two nephews.

A school friend of mine.

And other local people

I vaguely knew

Before moving away

'Across the water'

As they used to say

In these parts.