thanks all, much appreciated.

Tom,
For me this recalls a discussion blog by Dave Bradley about poems`putting into words what can`t be put into words` (and a couple of lousy examples I gave) Isobel mentioned the ineffable (which I think it was really about)

This poem is `about` it`s last line...a last line which gets all its force from how the previous lines have led to it.

Leonidas Kazentheos (In a recent blog which has disappeared) gave a quote which drew attention to the way the lead up words in a poem operate in poetry...To me this is a good example.

Very sad and very moving Tom. especially for anyone who's been there.

'except those hands we gripped
would not grip back'

Those are hard lines to write about one's mother. John's right about the simplicity being powerful. A few words can speak volumes.

Very powerful in its simplicity, Tom.
There are things that words are not capable of describing.
Sympathies.