[F.F. Teague]

Recently John Isbell and I have been discussing poems inspired by music, so I thought I'd revisit this thread. It's great! Thanks for all the contributions

This sonnet turned out a bit F&F (friends and family). I'm popping it here for now, but I'll think about reworking it at some stage. I've had a few F&F poems published, I suppose.

Music: Fauré, 'Sanctus'


Sanctus

"Goodbye, our little saint."
Note in Tats' cardboard coffin, 27th September 1996

Beside my bed that night, I knelt to pray
for Tats the guinea pig, my favourite pet;
the twinging in my knees just brought dismay
and tears upon the rose-print coverlet.
I wanted to believe that God was good
and might take pity on my poorly boy;
my body wasn't working as it should –
I often thought I was a devil's toy.
But in the blurry light at 6 o'clock,
I knew that Tats had died yet something stirred
in collared dove duets, the scent of stock
beneath my window, and a voice, a word:
Sanctus. I went to Tats and hugged him tight
then bathed him one last time. The final rite.


G.R. Teague, 'Tats with Mum'