At Castle Neroche Along by the birches, into the pine forestthe dog going doolally to be free, rounding up the children,minding his flock in that leafy sphere. It was as if we’d packed all our conflicts into a boatand floated them off somewhere, so we could be here,close in the quiet woods. Snowdrops, pine cones and puffballs, sinuous roots,a phallic stinkhorn. Five of us moving … Continue reading Two poems by Chrissy Banks
Trace My fingers walked to the fourth intercostal space. This is where I placed the first gel-backed tab. The next went opposite, across the sternum, on the nipple line. Easy then to make a descending arc, attach the leads until a trace appeared; the heart. Unlike in films when it stopped for good the line was never completely flat, but wavering like the … Continue reading Two poems by Roy Marshall
Coconut John I recognise the worn teeth of his rattle-clacker against the Waltzer’s siren. No name in lights or thumping decibels, a row of ugly numbskulls sitting cockeyed on sawdust pedestals. The years have whistled him by, the same shock of silver hair, the puckish smile still spoiling for a dirty joke. Looks like we’ve got a contender he announces, slipping my pound … Continue reading Two poems by Dan Stathers
How To Have Your Baby and Eat It Give birth. When the midwife’s back is turned, carefully snip a fresh hand from its wrist. You deserve it. If someone can pop in with a dish of salsa for dipping, better still. While junior sucks ravenously at the breast, relieve him of a left leg. Rub generously with paprika and roast the limb in … Continue reading Two poems by Shauna Robertson
Taxis on Old Pye Street I stand – profile toward the wind hoping to mimic your breath on my neck. Cars throw their lights. Ignored, they shatter on wet concrete. Bleed out over tarmac. As south of the river, clouds are pulled to earth. Sucked into the Heygate’s exposed foundations. … Continue reading Two poems by David Turner
The Greatcoat My grandmother leaves me a greatcoat made from piano parts – keys stitched in rows like the feathers and wolves’ teeth of a chieftain’s ceremonial mantle. I don’t feel worthy to carry it on my shoulders. Is this Grandma’s reproach for my shirking remote scales and Czerny? But when I fasten the felt-hammer toggles across my chest, late Beethoven cascades from … Continue reading Two poems by John Wheway
Standing Up Head bowed, his ears perked. Eagle-nosed-spectacled, the teacher asks a common class: Was it really the sun that came in through the window? Or was it the sun’s rays? The class sniggers. The sun, he finally lied, defiant About the slanted truth. His failure, reported, circled in red. The long trudge home. And did you have to drink hot tea In … Continue reading ‘Standing Up’ by Amlanjyoti Goswami
Three Girls after the BBC three-part drama series of the same name Her skin is powdered moon and her eyes slate roofs at dawn and she’s free as a bike ride in Provence and she’s fifteen like holidays in the sun and bubble gum in pink and yellow wrappers and she’s hitting puberty like cardamom and pomegranate molasses and she’s complex as smoked … Continue reading ‘Three Girls’ by Helen Frame
When Your Name’s Not Smith While he writes I imagine taking his form and folding it into a paper boat, perhaps filling his letter tray with water from the cooler to see if the boat floats or sinks, if ink will seep from paper to water and colour it. Family legend has it that some great, great relative decided to run to the … Continue reading Two poems by Emma Lee
Radio Nights I slide down deep beneath the covers output may be subject to further interruptions on the subject of snow turn dials by torchlight prop the heavy radio knobs for eyes, large square battery for heart on bent knees the nylon sheet crackles with static imagine Luxembourg as a party shape at the far side of the car park the blue vinyl … Continue reading Two poems by Julia Webb
