Innocence returning (Edit 1)

[Todd]

Keith,

Here are a few comments for you.

There’s a cold breeze--ending this line on coming might make it less flat and more evocative.
coming through the back door
causing it to creak on its hinges,--Nice building of tension
Grandad's gone across the backs
to feed his pigeons.

I find him inside the empty loft
closing derelict cages,--I like derelict cages
gently I place an arm
around the confusion.--I love this phrasing
Using soft words we stumble outside
towards real moments.--While I see how this frames the scene. I think I'd consider cutting this line and let the strophe end on stumble outside

The overgrown allotment glistens
through droplets, strung out
to tremble in the damp morning light.--beautifully written
We hear the rush of racing pigeons
and watch them disappear overhead
like ghosts into field mist.--lovely

Grandad stood staring at the sky,
“they’re not coming back are they son?”
I put my coat around his shoulders,
‘no Grandad they’ve been gone too long”.--might be stronger without this line of dialogue
We start the slow walk back towards the house.

“Someone will have to tell your Grandma,
she loved those birds”--Maybe to build the surprise go with loves instead of loved
“She’s gone too Grandad,
Grandma’s gone too”.--for me the last two lines are the weakest (of a pretty strong poem). I think I'd go with a bit of ambiguity here maybe, cut the dialogue, and possibly replace it with a repetition of your earlier lines: "gently I place an arm/around the confusion"

Just a thought

Enjoyed the read. I hope the comments will be helpful to you.

Best,

Todd