Gravel Voices

Gravel Voices

Jean’s gravel route,
no different to ours,
just an over-the-road
distance.

Trodden, it sounds like
a pre-school shaker,
the one the lucky kids
were given.

Step-fade-step,
across her driveway,
whilst our one,
a road width closer,

is louder recall
of kid-invaded,
beach steps,
when shingle slid

into the curled
picnic rug’s weave,
as our burnt parents
pebble-pinned it all.