Apron
The teenager who did it
may not have thought symbolic
but nevertheless an apron it was.
The one the mother wore when
pegging out washing, chopping
the heads off rhubarb and chickens
and opening the door to a neighbour.
The neighbour who’d heard shouting
through the party wall and later
that night smelt smoke.
After the last of the blue flashing lights
incident tape flapped wetly
beside the gathered neighbours. Someone
who knew someone in the police said
the fire had been started
by a lighter held to the apron
as it hung from the kitchen door.
It is 3.30am so I may not be at my best but I’m not sure about the symbolism of the Apron.
Maybe there could be more of a clue to this. I love the images of mother pegging out washing and cutting heads off rhubarb and chickens and the tape that flapped wetly.