THE RED COAT

"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes
a revolutionary act." 

                   George Orwell

I was ten or twelve 

when my father told 

me to burn a good 

red coat.

That was Belfast
In the early seventies

so I did what
I was told

to this day it
has always niggled 

me why I had to burn
that coat.

My father is dead
and my sister
who was wearing

the coat she killed

herself and I think
this is why.

This was
the coat
that carried
the gun
that killed
the man?