Nursery Rhyme Don’t talk to Mother, she is feeding your brother. Don’t talk to Mother, or else she will smother you. Don’t talk to Father, either. You are NOT to bother Father– he is at work. Run along. Stop lurking now DO what I say. DON’T answer back. Put on your shoe. There are places I know for children like you… Stop making faces. Get … Continue reading Three poems by Andrew Sclater
Whale Winter: windless, and a morning frost Yielded, softening in the southern sun. Kaikoura was still and bright, and the air carried The sweet scent of the glass-green ocean. We sailed in a small craft, stopping Where, we were told, the shelving shore Pitched precipice-like to dark depths, And we waited. No waves stirred the surface. Behind us the barren hills rose, pink And grey … Continue reading ‘Whale’ by Gordon Gibson
Blame Dr Beeching Trains no longer ran on the branch line at the end of our road, and the station had burned down years before. So your threat to throw yourself off the footbridge was a gin-inspired gesture even I saw through. It was true, that after months of trying, I had given up on you that night, started chatting up your best friend in … Continue reading Two poems by Colin Will
The Water-Carrier I want to be the worst of this profession, the one who makes it home half-empty, tipping more air than water from the ringing pot, and so late back the town’s already dark; Oh no, they’ll say, that’s not the way of it, and I’ll know their heaven’s brimful and undrunk, their lips parched. What do they … Continue reading Two poems by Niall Campbell
