She’s safely shut in and yet Hettie gets out
And she goes to the places she cares most about
Hettie gets out under cover of dark
And she pushes the kids on the swings in the park
Hettie meets Beryl who moved out last June
And they chat about old times and tap out a tune
And then Hettie tells Bel she’ll be joining her soon
Hettie goes visiting Grange-over-Sands
Where she walks with her Ted, holding memories and hands
Before the cock crows or the clock strikes the dawn
She slips back through the gate and creeps over the lawn
When they come round and wake her she’ll stretch and she’ll yawn
The nurses won’t notice that Hettie’s been out
And she smiles at the trips they know nothing about
This poem was shortlisted in the Poetry Kit Summer competition 2017. Full results here.
