…
the occasional tables
were mostly chairs that day
the sun dried tomatoes
were eaten overnight
the winter wren sang
of a southern hemisphere
the peanut butter warned us
‘may contain nuts’
mister holmes was constipated
all the green bananas
breathed with their gills
& feathered quills flew
with the dusters in a circle
over puzzled heads
when the scarecrows frightened
themselves in the mirror
…
…
purr like a milker
moo like a moggy
breathe with intent
breath is a weapon
stretch & hold
think of englandia
try not to wobble
like a trifle in an earthquake
shake the extremities
bend your knees
touch those twinkle toes
with sausage fingers
lunge like a crescent
pose like a cobra
get that back back
where it needs to bumble
rearrange them wrongs
bee to buzz
down on the floor
baggy trouser that, y’ twat
& let this skeleton
sleep like a pebble
undo the doom
pause & then repeat
…
…
several pebbles
one or two twigs
maybe a cobweb
eleven specks of dust
ten pence in change
hardly any water
is all we want, darling
not much beyond that
give or take a humbug or
sugar cube, please
…
…
on the other side
of the hill that
r o l l s
like a granary bap
or a wholemeal
b l o o m e r
is another valley’s green
a new dream
t i c k e t
the odd smallholding
gritstone
b r i c k e d
but mostly more fields
& the drystone
w a l l s
the scattered woodland copses
where pheasants strut their
s t u f f
as the ewes baa back
at the oak tree’s
b a r k
& starlit badgers wonder what
life is like for us
b u m p k i n s
…
…
however
eccles cakes
however
clarinets
however
afternoon sun
however
the younger dryas
however
drystone walling
however
after eights
however
tudor neck frills
however
the phone kept buzzing
however
the aral sea
however
drayton manor park
however
the garden gate
– however, however, however
…
…
backwards barks again
a backdoor key
cartoon rudiments
cloven hoofed clover
a zoomorphic moon
with rain in between
an ache in my right leg
a lake in your left eye
the day became frogs
human cattle banging pots
remember the moos
& the chalkboards thank yous
& irk the normalz off
of a formless morning
on is reverse
we the scattered ash
& quercus quilled ink
still the unbecome
melted into fundaments
rearranged yesterday
grew a green tomorrow
ate baked magic
beans on toast for tea
with grated cheese on top
…
…
possibly, possibly
next weekend
possibly, possibly
a chimney sweep
possibly, possibly
an apricot
possibly, possibly
a pygmy goat
possibly, possibly
cheese & chutney sandwiches
possibly, possibly
a florist shop
possibly, possibly
unleaded petroleum
possibly, possibly
the evening news
possibly, possibly
he drives the night tram
possibly, possibly
she wore those shoes
possibly, possibly
in chapter ten
possibly, possibly
sulphur dioxide
possibly, possibly
a cotton bud container
possibly, possibly
a corby trouser press
possibly, possibly
the caspian sea
possibly, positively, possibly
probably
( ? )
…
…
only when you stop
do you spot the fog & see that
this mist is only
the holy hedgerow ghosts
on the footpath home
…
…
i’m strangely drawn in
like a cartoon you – but some
may say – that’s art, maaan
…
…
sat ‘ere unlike
a satyr – stroke –
some woodland god
one from the wilds
beyond us scrotes
…
resarf poetry 