‘First Meetings’ by Helen Mort

 
First Meetings
after Arseny Tarkovsky
 
Time came after us,
a madman brandishing a razorblade.

We’ve got so old
even the trees won’t look at us,
the cypress twisted like a flame.

I watched you
take the stairs two at a time. To us,
darling, anything might be an anniversary.

I raise my glass towards
your shadow, disappearing into mine.
 
(broadcast on BBC R4, March 2013, as part of Paul Farley’s series, The Echo Chamber)
 
 
Helen Mort was born in Sheffield and lives in Derbyshire. She has published two chapbooks with tall-lighthouse press, the shape of every box and a pint for the ghost. Her first collection Division Street is forthcoming from Chatto & Windus.