• on memory

    you can’t hold everything in your headbit by bit it fadesleaving flint-like fragmentssharp, shiny, hardwhich are sparked by placessongs, photographs, othersa cricket ground by a churcha roadsignthe name of a villagea street namea pub now turned to flatsa make of cara turn of phrasea nicknamea make of cheesea punk band formed by a pair of

  • on time

    we’re saying good-bye todaya friend made through cricketknown for how he bowledbent back, arm whipped roundlike a butterfly swimming strokethick mop of black hairswinging across his faceduring the unusual nature of his deliveryoff the wrong foot, it’s saidface looking down at the pitchas the ball left his handfrom his flurry of arms and legsall too

  • on Norfolk

    Top Road, Low RoadSchool Road, The GreenChurch Road, Church LaneNorwich Road, The StreetThe Common, Back LaneDirty Lane, Wash LaneChurch Road, Church LaneNorwich Road, The StreetChapel Lane, The LokeRailway Street, The QuayChurch Road, Church LaneNorwich Road, The StreetMill Lane, Mill RoadWater Lane, Dyke RoadChurch Road, Church LaneNorwich Road, The StreetROAD CLOSED AHEADDIVERSION DIVERSIONDIVERSION ENDSChurch Road, Church

  • on the window

    squinting as the bus rolls bycasting its shadow on the glare of glassanother locked up shopstripped of its fittingsmail still gets pushed through the chained front doorjunk and official post gathering in the thickening dustan ineffective skimming of white wash to the glassprovides the backgroundto a final thoughtful message from a member of the staffI

  • on winter

    there is ice in the eastits fingers stretch westpinch the earsnip at the nosethe cheeks reddenas if slappedthe call goes upcoats!hats!boots!gloves!secure the stockadebring in the herdcollect the kindlingfire up the stoveit’s time to gather roundshare heroic talessing songs of libertylisten out for wolves~ CLP 19/09/2025

  • on Earth

    by force of armsthey rose above otherscleared the forestsdrained the fensenclosed the landtilled the soilharvested graintamed and propagated the freehunted down the wildroamed the planetcapitalised slaverywiped the surface for economyoceans became their sewerthe air filled with machineryevery inch of land fencedmarked out on mapsdefined their own legalityuntil their children turnedquestioned historywanted more than bread and

  • on Ukraine

    now the neighbours are worriedabout how this violence that has been contained within our doorsis spreading onto the streetthe big guy is losing controllashing out at anyone nearbyscreaming in frustrationdigging up old grudgesinventing betrayalspointing fingersblaming everyonebut himselffor thismess~ CLP 11/09/2025

  • on Ukraine

    It’s autumn againThe bombs fall faster than leavesBonfires are madeFrom high risesmarket squaresbus stopsand government buildingsFruit hangs rotten in the orchardsWheat turns black on The SteppesThe men and women are at warThis is costing billionsBut if money talksNobody is listening~ CLP 09/09/2025

  • Every Village Has A Wrong ‘un

    What must it be like to beThe Only Thief in The Village?All the people point“There goes a wrong ‘un”They tell their friendsWarn passing strangersUpdate the neighbourhood WhatsApp group when you’re seen outQuestion your whereabouts when you stay inAs the only thief in the villageWhere can you fence the goodsWhen you’re banned from the local?Try and

  • on loss

    we burble onfrom day to dayuntil the momentwhen nothing more is heardso suddenlyan innings endsa surprise to allnot least the departed batsmanno calling him backhis innings has been concludedscored by a double chevron in the bookhow out stated bluntlywhether caught, stumped, bowledrun out, hit wicketwe are all timed outeventuallythe sequence of runs marked downsketches out