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Nominative Determinism
I knew a man called BlackUnlike his delightful sense of humourI knew a man called WhiteWith dreadful yellow teethI knew a man called Youngwho lived to ninety-fourI knew a man called Bullwho never would eat beefI knew a man called RichWho died from being poorI knew a woman surnamed Sleepwho would not come to bedI →
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Camellias
Winter brings weakMorning light lateAfternoons darkFrost-shivered limbsFirst sign of warmth(Rain on the west wind)Foliage thickensLeaf litter laps the fenceSticky buds unfoldSuper-slow-motionBurst of pinkPetals un-scrollSudden brightness soonBurnt by memories Casting shadowsAcross our lawnSpectacular displayedVibrancy lastingNo longerThan winter’s sun ~ n.b. NaPoWriMo 2023. Day 25 prompt. Love poem with flower, parenthesis and odd line breaks. CLP 25/04/2023 →
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By the Seaside
Wincing dull dawnColourfulIf grey’s your thingDoes the sky reflectthe sea or seathe sky?This performanceDoesn’t make it clearThe North-EasterlyPlays its part wellGets in the headWith a sinuous chillReminiscent of Atonal violinsThat bring tearsA bit-part freighterbound for HartlepoolSustains a rhythmic arcingOf symmetric bow-waves Silently pleasingMusical sensibilitiesAs it ploughs the lineWhere that greyMeets this greyToday the briny’sSalt-sharp scentFills →
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Upper Tier, Front Row
1.Kev looks acrossCalls me overThere’s a seatFreeBeside himIn the front rowGratefulA great view2.A playerJogs closerPauses preparationLooks up seekingFamilial facesPoints a fingerTo the rightBlows a kissTo someone3.Squeezed in tightBeside her mum, She sees the manIn the blue shirtWavingThen bursts outBrightly”That’sMy Daddy!”4.CuddlingHer daughterCloserNew baby boyOn her kneeShe’s touchedBy the joyOf her little girlWith arms fullshe can only →
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on coincidence
In London, yesterday, I spotted this poster at the back of the National Theatre. Having written my Aladdin Sane poem a couple of days ago, I thought I would post a copy for those who might have wondered what I was writing about. Fifty years! 😳 CLP 23/04/2023 →
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on Ukraine
more than a year nowunimaginable thengrim reality ~ n.b. If you’re interested find a copy of this newly released book, War Diary by Yevgenia Belorusets. Published in the UK by Pushkin Press. CLP 22/04/2023 →
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At Length
Her final month of summerWas all we feared that it might beNot her tender graciousnessLeft us in her wake, but that driveDrawn from the womb’s wellFired her urgencyMade her hunger pain We wondered at their blindnessWhen nothing was more plainAs they quarried her stone heartTheir stupidity no brighterThan a dullard’s dull insolenceIt was life’s force →
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Betrayal
Windsurferbalancesbreeze andsailStandsconfident inpositionof authorityRefreshedby sprayon tannedgym-monkey torsovanityjustifiedEvacuationof KabulstutterspendingMinister’sapprovalAfghan alliesrequirevisas toescapeTaliban’svengeful advanceWindsurfergybescock-sureof judgementpowerCalls fromministryofficialscan waittheir paperswill be readlaterAircraftdeparthalf-emptysuch preciousequipmentcannotbe lostLoyalityto thedemocraticcreedonly flowsone-wayand cancost youeverything ~ n.b. NaPoWriMo 2023. Day 20 prompt take an abstract noun from the list and write in short lines and brief stanzas. News events here, the resignation of a bully from HM →
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Aladdin Sane
The cover artwork, whiteFeather cut, blue and redLightning flash acrossBowie’s downcast eyesBared shoulders and torso’He suffers from androgyny’Mother cautioned meI had borrowed the albumFrom Paul, who four years laterBecame more extrovert, quite campAfter his trip to ParisWhere he sought a manTo offer up his virginityWhile I played ‘Time’ ashamedly ~ n.b. NaPoWriMo 2023. Day 19, →
Journey of Words 