The blowing out of birthday candles

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.