collection 1

random poems old and new

john part 2

Time grinds you fine.. your voice spiralling in and out of space to me; wheels winding us (relentless) still in parallel directions. Across the miles, your intermittent fingers stretch

"i drank water from your spring and let the current take me" Rumi. .

Made childlike, clumsy: the sky tilts foreboding at me, blundering blindly into the blue; and not even happy. wanting, scared to want; having, losing.... your presence rubbing me raw,

abacus

Rows of days drift like washing down the years.. hued in shades of pain or joy stringing like grey beads, revolving, hung in time on the abacus of my life, . What have i learnt?

april that year..

Small dark quiet space, a branching, reaching, fingering of roots, a stretch of stem; sap is rising -stirring seed, budding tree... slow, relentless, unstoppable, sweet as air; old as time...
Cherry

poem

I breathed on you, mumbling meanings you didn't catch.. my life can go anywhere, i said i can make anything I'm alive, I burn.. Your thin face rustled, a twitch of chin..

valentine, for john

You are my soul brother; my erstwhile distant lover, the ties that bind us swinging thin,& loose; old rope, strong as wire... Clumsy pupil: in all i learnt i forgot how to hold your hand.

stonegate, york

the rain streams, shining in grey gullies. city cobbles into wet,... tiny street darkly a-drip. Huddled in doorways, doused figures hunch tight, stained birds flapping umbrellas.

For F..

Looking at you my eyes opened & I saw you. You touched me my body fell into here where you are & my body wanted more. I have become more with all this wanting; i am the wanting & the more

You know who you are.

Where are you? Not here; out in the world with your hat on. your fingers are not on me, nor your words in my ear, nor your eyes, asking questions. My voice silent, but dialogue continues,

for irene, november 2001

Leaves fall, singly and in groups, whirling to lie, orange. yellow, fading to brown on the city street. You fell, singly.. whilst i was away - whirling to a hospital room where

phyllis

I loved your smile. wide, arcing my world safe; with a life i won't forget.. took for granted the bond we had, think I'll not find its like again in anyone.. closeness natural as breathing,

salsa'd..

Memory of you,dancing. flag in a stiff breeze; butterfly, dust mote drifting, sleet on a windowpane; your fingers told them all.. body tracing itself in rhythm; insistent, latin, precise.

mother

The day hangs like a hat. Do i matter? We drink tea. Outside the sun blows rosewards, my head is bowed. Schoolteacher - the hole of your silence throws me into the blackboard.

huh..

you know I don't see you much you stand there like an everyone with your shirt and all and your skin in the present tense and i want you special your eyes are dark like jet

worth it??

A leaf in the air - you danced past me, whirling fingers open to everyone, touching on me... Fit dancers body my foreign landscape briefly I relearnt how now vanishes

You, again..

Silence of the phone stretches to weeks; you always fading, moving backwards, dimmed. I do & don't care, watching my wanting; you're in my head, hopeless; your presence had me fixed, focused;

Tree, by Spring.

Leaning on the sky, strong silhouette delicate as lace; unclothed branches stretch, spreading thin traceries, bark on blue.. this winter tree is last to green;