Margaret Wilmot

Selmeston, East Sussex, UK.

MARGARET WILMOT was born in California but settled in Sussex, England in 1978. She has been published in various British poetry magazines. Smiths Knoll published a pamphlet Sweet Coffee in 2013. Man Walking on Water with Tie Askew, a full-length book of poems, was published by The High Window in June 2019.

Poem completed 18th May 2020

Eight Weeks into Lockdown

The man at the Garden Centre sells me a trowel

through the fence.

The garden is positively thriving despite no rain.

An old mill has got its wheel working again, is grinding flour –

whole wheat, every particle used – for local bakers.

On the phone I forget to ask the price of things I order.

Voices float over the hedge from people

on their walks, chatting across the road from each other.

There are six buds on the orchid I moved to a north window.

I ring a friend, who tells of leaving a plate

of yeast waffles by a helpful neighbour’s door.

Her voice is tinged with delight.

I remember in childhood the batter was left out overnight

on the kitchen counter, working.