‘Lost and Found at the Palacio de Peña’ by Jean Atkin

Lost and Found at the Palacio de Peña

A golden dome and battlements
bulge out of mist. February:
the stucco sweats with moss.

We ‘re all alone in a cloudy court
on wet-shined chequered tiles.
Tangled small rooms

are crammed with chairs
and dusty letters, pen nibs
and little mirrors.

Later, by a cracked glass in the pensão
we will cut each other’s hair
and leave behind our scissors.
 
 
Jean Atkin is a poet, writer and experienced educator, based in Shropshire. Her collection Not Lost Since Last Time is published by Oversteps Books and she has also published five poetry pamphlets and a children’s novel. She has held residencies in libraries, museums, festivals and even on a beach and she works as a poet and writer on projects in both Scotland and England. She is Poet in Residence for Wenlock Poetry Festival 2015-16.