They say the dead tell no tales...

Two of the hundreds of names on gravestones in Wentworth's old churchyard, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire

Visited gorgeous Wentworth village in South Yorkshire to see the Old Church with its medieval tower, 16th century memorial statues, 1684 rebuild by the 2nd Earl of Strafford & its damp & gloomy subterranean burial crypt of the Fitzwilliams built c1824. 

I was amused to see two tombstones nearby, one bearing the name of my heroine in "Goatsucker Harvest", 'Thirza', the other the surname of my villain, (Darnell) 'Salkeld'. Not surprising really, as all my characters bear local Yorkshire names taken directly from my own family tree. What was touching is that the names on these graves were pointed out to me by two people who are enthusiastic readers of my novel! 

Flamborough graveyard also holds links to my next story; and they say the dead tell no tales... 

Cher-tee Tee-cher

Sun has blown the top off winter

Letting the shock chills through

Among the twigs, Great Tits

Spritzing and spooling

Learning a new generation's brogue

Lisping "Cher-tee" "Cher-tee"

While perched over gravestones

The parent birds tut

"Tee-cher" "Tee-cher"

Best learn this quick

Before hawk and kestrel

Hear callow tweets and tango

Down from the blue all talons

To take your fragile feathers

Fresh from the egg and nest

Experimental

Lilting the timeless song

With sore thumb variations

But the babies flitter up bickering

Through razor edge pearl hard air

Tonguing their mutant rhythm

Play twig-tag, risk and skip

Wondering if the tower is heaven

Or just another tree