poetry

Winterfails

might start again

or pick up

where I left

the stove on?

where o where’s that

heat

gone

art sparks inspire me

but

letting life pass by me

hardly seeing poetry

anymore

winter afternoons

so bright

and empty

rolling, scrolling, hating that void

inside

trapped and looking, desperate couching

crouching, louching

afraid a little bit

to put a toe

above the parapet

what if

sandpaper grates

on dry skin

forgotten how

to do this now

chafe against

imagination

engulfed by

failure

of everything

 

Image: Claire Doble

stained glass

a church as a burden

administrative expectation

the artistic expression

queasy admiration

for the ancient

flesh

ghost

book

drone of sermon

abstract stained-glass

wrinkles on forehead

should all feel

more important

light a candle

run a finger

over too-new

wood veneer

the space

hollow

and the lack

suits you

yearning for

beyond-bored

not sure

the

spirit self’s

here

is all

 

Photo by Luke Paris on Unsplash

mineral green

what can I tell you

about

swift-moving morning-mineral water

cold and clean

when the world pauses

insects scream

the trees watch

ancient and serene

above a sandy bottle-green

river bed

so pure

dimpled surface like

a music-box cylinder

our arms the combs

in tune

her hair in curls

at her neck

my feet kick

like a child’s

below

in the depths

so clear it looks near

tearing the blue

of our kids’ licked-lenses

off our eyes

so

the ungoggled

colours slant sepia

in a heartbeat

like blood, like 80s photographs

the tint

of old leaves

oh

how can I explain

the magic of that

scene

 

Photo by Irene Aguilera Blanco on Unsplash

gotta be – spoken

 

gotta be addicted somehow

to love or painkillers

to pain or lovekillers

substances substantial

stuff

need more of it

must declutter

tracking my macros

on the app

tells me

my hrv is wildly

ordinary

excessive exercise

(and podcasts)

the only way

to quiet

racing thoughts

thoughts of racing

and getting a pb

fuel anxiety

anxiety is fuel

to keep showing up

show up and keep to

the program

progress not perfection

perfection in constant

progress,

cultivate

aesthetic athletic

movement

maintain

motivation

love

and pain

an addict understands

the drive the desire

motivation, smitten

beholden to addiction, begotten

be gotta, be, gotta,

gotta be

 

Spoken version of this poem here:

https://on.soundcloud.com/grfyu

 

Photo by afiq fatah on Unsplash

nine lives

the house next door had holes in the walls

I could see sunlight shine through

on bright days

and when it rained

my sliding window

3-inches wide

behind bars

flaking and tired

open so

the cat could come and go

then, at night

through

forks of light

you called

and buildings fell

curtains of grey rain

soft, soothed

a rift in time

muffled all

except Sinead

and sudden, close

her vibration

cut through the beer and wine

standing naked

couldn’t tell

hell from beauty

warmth from fire

sickness, health

anyway

that was one

of nine lives

 

Photo by Petr Slováček on Unsplash

Danger

let wind kiss skin

starved of affection

waves stroke and soothe

a new years’ benediction

smell of smoke and airline fuel

a change of direction

old perfumes stir memories

pain, and its reflection

all the deeds unpunished

must live in the body

alongside achievements

like running, like love, like danger

unacknowledged

 

Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/K7Nva

 

Photo by Nadia Jamnik on Unsplash

jacaranda

forgot I fell in love
with street corner
concrete
and patches of sunlight
falling aslant
where the
pavement
swells with roots
of fig trees
like your leg
against mine
under the summer
sheets
after we
oh
there’s that, too
the lilac of
jacaranda
strokes my eyes
offset by
sapphire sea
I’m drifting
into Jeff Buckley
again
yearning
early
emotion
I’m not sure this is new
or far too
late
blooming
as candy clouds
like a sweet sort of joke
pastel caress
kiss, kiss
kiss, more, more please
kiss
at my throat