Mass

We always go to Midnight Mass. This year it finished at two in the morning. The Bishop gave a long sermon on concupiscence, lechery and greed. The streets are so dark, Aunt J walked straight into a wall and fainted. We carry her light body to the house. Mother brings her a glass of brandy which will never again leave Aunt's hands.

The Bishop likes to surround himself with spinsters adorned with nubile nieces. He defends the poor and sows his oats amongst his flock

Wall

 A wallpaper of generals covers the streets of the town. We surf the city on board an old tramway. The rail station opens and we are waiting in the cafe. The days are bright and Our Mother sings to heaven. We pray in the morning and in the afternoon. She has a black book full of promises. Money never arrives on time. She declares we must think about the future and what to do to earn the pennies. To each what can be done best. We all look at our Sister and we know her destiny.

They say if you know the past you understand the present

They say this is all there is

They say there is nothing new under the sun

they say there is a time a for everything

they say we are cursed from the day we were born

they say our friends will betray us

they say loneliness is waiting for us round the corner

they say they will never leave us alone

and minute later they go and die on us .

Practice

Cousin practices the piano mute. We play in the afternoon in silence. Mother abhors disturbances, noises, interruptions. Only her steps can be heard. Father breathes in small bouts. From time to time one of us is summoned for punishment on account of unameable crimes of which we know nothing, but  like the first sin, they stick to our skin. They can never be redeemed. Our blood mingles with the earth. The sun shines high and after a while we continue playing as before.