in the stream;1look, the duck-rabbits swim between.The Mill Raceat Granta Placetosses them from form to form,dissolving bodies in the spume. Given A and see2find be3(look at you, don’t look at me)4Given B, see A and C.that’s what metaphor5is for. Date and placein the expression of a face6provide the framefor an instinct to rename,7to try to […]
About to sit down with my half-pint of Guinness
I was magnetized by a remote phosphorescence
and drawn, like a moth, to the darkened back room
where a pool-table hummed to itself in the corner.
Something near to true
night-darkness. The children
are playing the Plinky-Boat –
a xylophone made
from a reclaimed yoal
The circle shrinks
/ as players one by one
/ are summoned by a shout;
/ till in the gloaming none remains
/ to catch the…
That box held the moon and the sun and more,
a stash that made you superheroic,
expert on constellations and the zodiac,
the universe studding your bedroom floor.
I’m hanging on to your early days
/ when you can’t wait for me to arrive
/ for cuddles and tickles and…
Animals are easy. I can do penguin waddle,
/ hoppy frog, snappy croc. And Actions – all
/ those ings – dancing,…
As from the house your mother sees
/ You playing round the garden trees,
/ So you may see, if you will look
/ Through the…
How do you like to go up in a swing,
/ Up in the air so blue?
/ Oh, I do…
Wakati tunywapo chai hapa upenuni
/ Na kuwatazama watoto wetu
/ Wakicheza bembea kwa furaha
/ Tujue kamba ya bembea yetu
/ Imeshalika na imeanza kuoza
/ Na bado kidogo…
Old Henri is dying.
/ Children play tag in the dust.
/ And we, whose world is next,
/ sit with him under the tree
/ and watch…
As a child I existed in just these two shapes:
/ Outside – the round yard of the children’s playground,
/ Inside – the…
