Liberté, Égalité, Humanité
robin, sparrow, pigeon
motorway, next door’s children
blue sky, white walls, dawn bright
silver birch shine, heat of sheet
sourness of sweat, weight of limb
heavy head, weary heart
click of clock, click of clock
click of clock, laughing gull
~
CLP 16/06/2021
there is sadness in empty time
marked by irreversible movement
of hands that cannot be rewound
tracking in relentless orbit
forward, forward, forward
not noticing the swallow on the hedge
not pausing at the sparkling brook
not hearing the rustle of yellow rattle
playing music in the meadow
not understanding this is it
that here might be happiness
~
CLP 10/06/2021
your careful choice of words
so free and easily phrased
sparks spectacular reactions
at the back of my mind
guarantee confusion of sleep
with memory
in reality you exist only in nightmares
in truth I fear you
no longer
~
n.b. Echoes of past lives carried in words. History / Herstory.
~
CLP 06/06/2021
dykes and drains cut land
deep unnatural slices
man bides not for tide
~
CLP 13/05/2021
Caressing the unwilling hand
Time pulls childhood
towards a luminous edge
.
humming birds recognise
the scent of childhood fears
~
Translation of Tiempo by Alejandra Pizarnik (1936 / 1972). Other and far better translations are available from professional translators, such as Dr Cecci Rossi, who ran a translation games workshop today. This is my effort.
~
CLP 5th May 2021
nine arrowed together by lovers
in unusual hours no matter when
at coffee, lunch, tea, day, night
slipping through urgent fingers
grasping at sand they have to make up
for these unaccounted moments
they could not let pass without finding out
knowing full well each tide runs after
catching breath in liquid seconds
on the turn before its ebb
never coming back the same
understanding what has passed between them
were not seconds wasted waiting
for some non-existent tomorrow
~
n.b. NaPoWriMo 2021 Day Twelve
CLP 12/04/2021
what time was it when
Sun projected pine shadows
on warm warehouse bricks
~
CLP 07/04/2021
Let us not pretend
virus is only problem
time to regrow fins
~
CLP 07/04/2021
Funnily enough
(contrary to opinion)
it is a real thing
~
n.b. Even in Norfolk, (we just have to negotiate spring first).
CLP 28/03/2021
How much do we need?
Quicksilver beyond our grasp
Now it’s here, then gone
~
n.b. It took me an age to write this.
~
CLP 27/03/2021
