"PALIMPSEST" by Mervyn Morris

PALIMPSEST

Grandma, much younger

than her age-paper,

is giggling on the floor

with baby Jon

as with his daddy

forty years ago. ‘Age

is just a number,’

as the slogan says.



Grandpa, seeming

buried in a book,

gives thanks for her

endearing gift  

and mumbles Larkin,

‘What will survive of us

is love.’ 

***

MERVYN MORRIS is the author of six books of poetry, including I been there, sort of:  New and Selected Poems (Carcanet Press, 2006).