Armchair Sunset

Half past five, the window’s cinematic.
Slippery pink. Last thing you see
is the edge of a field being nibbled.
You offer me tea (a cardigan, story)
and someone else to make it,
which we all 
pretend not to notice.

Why did he die? He must
have got such a shock. 
Most days you knit words (box, bag) 
left over from past conversations.
I leave for a sky 
that is sticky with prodding, 
the clustering of tell-tale fingerprints.

Carolyn Oulton is Professor of Victorian Literature and Director of the International Centre for Victorian Women Writers at Canterbury Christ Church University. She teaches on the Creative and Professional Writing BA and is Project Co-Lead for https://kent-maps.online/ in collaboration with JSTOR Labs. Her most recent poetry collection is Accidental Fruit (Worple). @writing_at_CCCU