And No Birds Sing Poem by Dónall Dempsey

Persophone
on her mobile

to Ceres her mummy
telling her not to worry

but she's gone to Hell
with her new squeeze
Hades

and not to throw a wobbly
everything will be alright
(she'll write)

but the signal gets cut off
as she goes underground

and the train hurtles in
to the station.

The last thing she hears
is Ceres crying.

Mummy can't think with grief
even gives her precious garden
the cold shoulder.

Winter etches itself
into her heart.

Persophone having a real good time
doesn't keep her promise to write
(it slips her mind to phone home) .

Ceres finally convinces
some top bod
(who thinks he's God)
to give the nod
to Hades

and rather reluctantly
(truculantly)

darling daughter
finally
makes it home

wild delight
in her eyes
as if nothing has happened

'Wot...wot! ? '
laughing & grossly elaborating
the tale she has to tell

her laughter
whtie white

wreathed in a secret
smile

a pomegranate seed
caught in the gap

of her front teeth
(a gap Hades loves) .

Sprig arrives
back on earth

and for the moment

birds sing.