THE OLD ONES

An old sepia photograph: the stone-yard.

All the masons gathered, some puffing on their clay pipes,

some snuffling their snuff, some raising their billy-cans.

Four stand prominently, proud as any barber-shop quartet: with

their curled moustaches and thumbs stuck in apron-tops;

ready to face anything (as, sadly, they did in 1914).

Beside them my own grandfather stands, pointing to his banker:

wondering, no doubt  -  who’s taken his mallet!

left as a gift

his carving mallet

finger-grooved handle

                                                                        Notes:            banker:  work-table