Did Henry Moore find his shelter?
Much Hadham is now a resting place
For Moore’s sculpture and drawings
Also for artists sketch books and pencils
To be bought in the gift shop by the entrance
I don’t know what was here before
Who planted the trees
Which reach for the sky
I don’t know who set out the lawns
For children to run free and safe
I do know that already
It is a victim of its own success
No spaces left in the car park
And the best outdoor seating
For the cafe is already occupied
I do know that I have not yet settled
Unlike at Kettle’s Yard or Orchard Cafe
To that extent then this isn’t my shelter
Although I do absolutely recognise
That it may be a shelter for many many others
I might know or understand the significance
Of the figures in the underground scenes
Families sleeping side by side
Beneath the streets of London
Finding their shelters from the war
You might also know or understand
That in my lifetime I have not known war
Nor am I likely to know war
When even leaves on the trees hang limp
I too am limp, unfit to be a combatant
