Did Life Stop?

Brean Down Beach, Somerset. Diana Leighton

Did anybody here hear

the missed beat?

see

the minute hand stop

or the second drop

see

the sun not shine

or all the clouds hide?

Did anyone notice

if

no birds took flight

or stopping singing?

Did the television

switch off

or the radios die?

Did musicians fall silent?

Did anyone

see

all the cars halt,

the sea draw back,

and were there no waves

or tide,

because the moon

cried?

Did all the flowers droop

their heads

and the animals

look up from their beds?

Did people fall silent

or wars stop

and the rain fall dry

or planes not fly?

Did the church bells

stop chiming

or poets stop rhyming

Did life stop?

They did in my head

now you my love are dead.

My life, my heart, the world ,stopped

for you.