Cliff
You don’t remember this point?
A stone cottage balanced on a cliff.
It was spring, the previous guests left
thrift in an egg cup on the shelf.
You don’t remember the subterfuges –
changing history as easy as making tea.
White foam wore down stones
the bread tasted sugary.
You strolled down to the beech
along the paths of sheep
thought you saw a grey seal
beyond the place the wreakers used.
You swore you would never return –
seaweed wrote warnings on the sand.
But now you can’t recall
who was spared and who drowned.
Danielle Hope is a poet and doctor, originally from Lancashire, now living in London. She founded and edited Zenos, a British and international poetry magazine, worked for Survivors’ poetry, and is currently advisory editor for Acumen Literary Magazine. Her work has been published widely in magazines, anthologies and on the London Underground. She has published 4 collections with Rockingham press. Website www.daniellehope.org Twitter @Danielle_Poet