Reading at the Lowe Library

University College, Durham, 6:30 pm

Dying light prints
gold sun-shadow squares
on the window alcove.
Here, the sunset hangs
like strips of ripened
honeycomb, dripping
fire onto the sill.

Books wallpaper this sphere;
a wash of faded blues
and greens - the colour
of seaweed-shallow waters
that cling to grey seal-crags
and crush themselves
into white butterflies.

At our centre,
a wrought iron
spiral stair-ladder
snakes its way
to the ceiling;
a winter tree curled
by the wind.

The poetry has been
a low buzz - until now;
recognition makes
the transition from
hum to words -
a swirl of syllables
slides across the floor
towards me, to greet
me like an old friend:

" – that is all ye know on earth,
and all ye need to know."