Barbeque

Better you knew before the
disappointment spread a
mordant pall of gloom; the
ardent hours preceding it
had fed a focussed mood,
curious and upbeat energy
unleashed and progressed
readiness with honest flair

Food had been prepared with
practised ease of many years,
belying skills you’d swear on
oath could make a barbeque
a culinary fete of rare and
mindful praise reviewed – or
just another backyard bash
with plenty beer ‘n sausages

The phone-call didn’t set a
precedent although it came
with news that bared a soul
or two; but who’d ’v guessed
agendas tautly stressed by
histories of incidents beyond
our ken for reasons, blessed
we’d be, to ever understand

There’ll be no guests today it
said, not five or more, plus two;
originally we planned for twice
that crowd – with leeway one
allows for casual passages of
fate, although the sixteen we
debated seemed a wee bit
shy of circumstantial proof

In the event we are aloof and
free of wry distress, the place
is clean, gleams a welcoming,
blazes warm anticipation such
it pays in dividends we’ll not
regret for weeks – which is
about the time its gonna take,
I guess, to eat the extra food
© 6 February 2012, I. D. Carswell