Cast Iron Radiators
He invited me up to see
his cast iron radiators.
What woman could resist
an invitation like that?
Such a robust alternative to etchings.
And now when life is tough.
When I can’t keep up – too many
calls to make and reports to write.
When I’m working with parents
who’ve been told
the cancer’s come back
I hang those three words
Cast Iron Radiators
in the air before me.
Their innocent sturdiness
lightens the load.
Gail Harland
from 'The Long Cut Home'
published 2019
price £6
Gail Harland works as a paediatric allergy dietitian and is also a freelance writer. She is the author of six gardening books including most recently Snowdrop (Reaktion, 2016) which explores the snowdrop in art, poetry and other aspects of human culture. She lives in Norfolk with her two sons where she tries to cram far too many plants into a small garden.