It was his seventieth birthday
So there must be cake
And candles
And a blowing out of candles.
All these were assembled.
It was then I realised
Too late
That at a time of covid
There should be no blowing of breath on the cake.
My eyes lit on the courgettes.
There was a moment when I hesitated.
Then I stuck the candles
Into the courgettes
And lit them.