The Unspilling Late October evening in Dresden a wintry darkness descending suddenly seagulls, cries everywhere. Look up, see spots of white milk on a grey-black cloth, unspilling, backwards, a galaxy of stars spinning in reverse, drawn into the gravity of a high crane, the roosting spot away from cold Elbe currents. Gulls dropping, jostling for place, milk resetting and the accident of Dawn waiting to happen again. Tree Swallows on a Golf Course Two Tree Swallows cut out contours of the golf course, roller-coasting over every dimple, dip, manicured dell, rising up ankle high in a swish, smoother than any golfer’s swing; driven across the fairway faster than the shot balls cursing through trees. They are summer spirits come to tickle blades and branch, arrow around us, spinning, stitching up smiles made of our amazements; that there is more to life than golf. Childhood, a Definition in 4 Parts Being 3 Wellington boot on one foot, just a sock on the other, chasing a pigeon, slice of toast in one hand, mother rushing up behind, hands outstretched to catch. Being 4 In red pyjamas riding a scooter up and down the empty road. Seeing us, she wants to show more. She grabs a skateboard, boasts she can ride both at the same time which she does, wobbling like an old tooth until she tumbles off unhurt but hesitant. We drive off and she watches, worried about what comes next. Being 5 In an alley outside Starbucks a boy and his grandfather bat a brown balloon up, down, back and forth; a game of giggles, sudden swerves, childhood under the layers of the grandfather’s beer oiled face and bulging belly. Their few minutes of play could be hours until, until the Moms come by, stare into shop windows longingly, all move on, staggered order balloon and grandson bursting ahead. Being 6 On South Kensington tube station, tap-dancing through the boring wait, feet softly scuffing the gummy platform. She taps, looks back and up at Daddy, taps more and edges away, closer to the train line. Not testing just tipping into her world of dance. Daddy reels her back with an umbrella and they talk technique, train times, something caught in her corn-gold hair. Published in The Peacock Journal, 2017.
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The day started with Radio 4:
the UK Theme bouncing through history, pomp, myths, naval jaunts; then the Shipping Forecast deluding me into dreaming I could float off somewhere other than school. Mum served her motherhood: a cup of tea and two biscuits, usually digestives, my favourite, slightly soppy when wet. Rich Tea biscuits if supplies were low. Crunchie Creams at the weekend. The real treat was sitting with me while I soggily surfaced to face the facts: walk to school, few friends, grow older leave school, home, Mum. Every day for years she arrived, sat by my bedside. Not much to say, nothing new, sipping the same tea with me, dunking biscuits. Published in Sonic Boom #12., August 2018. |
Poetry Biography:I have had over 70 poems published in the following worldwide magazines and literary journals: A Handful of Stones, Acta Victoriana (Canada), All the Sins (UK), The Amethyst Review (USA), Amsterdam Quarterly (NL) The Blue Nib (Ireland), Bolts of Silk, Borderless Journal, The Brasilia Review (Brazil), Bushfire Literature & Arts Review (US), Cadenza, Cake Magazine, Carillon, Cha: An Asian Literary Journal (Hong Kong), DASH (USA), Clackamas Literary Review (USA), Cooch Behar Anthology, Dawntreader, Dreamcatcher, The Dillydoun Review, Earth Love, The Ear (US), Eastlit (East Asia), Erbacce, Envoi, Finger Dance Festival, Ginosko, Gloom Cupboard, Hidden Channel, Inlandia Journal, IS&T (Ink, Sweat & Tears), Into the Void (Canada), The Journal, The Lakeview Journal (India), Lothlorien Poetry Journal, Lunch Ticket (USA) The New Writer, One Hand Clapping, Orbis, Oregon English Journal (USA), The Passage Between, Prole, Sentinel Literary Quarterly, Sonic Boom (India), Third Wednesday (USA), Of Nepalese Clay (Nepal), New Contrast (South Africa), One Hand Clapping, Opportunity Publishing, The Oregon English Journal (USA) Origami Poems Project (USA), The Paddock Review (USA), Panoplyzine (USA), Paper Swan Press, The Passage Between, The Peacock Journal (USA), Pens on Fire, Poetry Salzburg (Austria), Potomac Review, (USA) Prole, Pulsar Poetry, Rear View Poetry, Queen Mob's Teahouse, Qutub Minar Review (India), Red Ink, Shiela-Na-Gig (USA), South Bank Poetry Magazine, Stand, Waterford Teachers Centre, (Ireland) We Are a Website New Literary Journal (Singapore), Weber - The Contemporary West Review (USA), Windfall (USA), Writing Magazine, Words for the Wild and Verbal Art (India). Archives
March 2024
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