Explore poems from our collection
The Minotaur
The Minotaur The mahogany table-top you smashed Had been the broad plank top Of my mother's heirloom sideboard- Mapped with the scars of my whole life. That came under the ham…
The Seven Sorrows
The Seven Sorrows The first sorrow of autumn Is the slow goodbye Of the garden who stands so long in the evening- A brown poppy head, The stalk of a lily, And still cannot go.…
September
September We sit late, watching the dark slowly unfold: No clock counts this. When kisses are repeated and the arms hold There is no telling where time is. It is midsummer: th…
Pike
Pike Pike, three inches long, perfect Pike in all parts, green tigering the gold. Killers from the egg: the malevolent aged grin. They dance on the surface among the flies. Or…
Lineage
Lineage In the beginning was Scream Who begat Blood Who begat Eye Who begat Fear Who begat Wing Who begat Bone Who begat Granite Who begat Violet Who begat Guitar Who begat Swe…
Macaw and Little Miss
Macaw and Little Miss In a cage of wire-ribs The size of a man's head, the macaw bristles in a staring Combustion, suffers the stoking devils of his eyes. In the old lady's par…
Examination at the Womb-Door
Examination at the Womb-Door Who owns those scrawny little feet? Death. Who owns this bristly scorched-looking face? Death. Who owns these still-working lungs? Death. Who owns…
Hawk Roosting
Hawk Roosting I sit in the top of the wood, my eyes closed. Inaction, no falsifying dream Between my hooked head and hooked feet: Or in sleep rehearse perfect kills and eat. T…
Bride and Groom Lie Hidden for Three Days
Bride and Groom Lie Hidden for Three Days She gives him his eyes, she found them Among some rubble, among some beetles He gives her her skin He just seemed to pull it down out…
Crow's Nerve Fails
Crow's Nerve Fails Crow, feeling his brain slip, Finds his every feather the fossil of a murder. Who murdered all these? These living dead, that root in his nerves and his blo…
Welcome Home
Welcome Home Unaware of my crime they stood me in the dock. I was sentenced to life.... without her. Strange trial. No judge. No jury. I wonder who my visitors will be.
A Woman Unconscious
A Woman Unconscious Russia and America circle each other; Threats nudge an act that were without doubt A melting of the mould in the mother, Stones melting about the root. The…
Unto Us...
Unto Us... Somewhere at some time They committed themselves to me And so, I was! Small, but I WAS! Tiny, in shape Lusting to live I hung in my pulsing cave. Soon they knew of me…
The Soldiers at Lauro
The Soldiers at Lauro Young are our dead Like babies they lie The wombs they blest once Not healed dry And yet - too soon Into each space A cold earth falls On colder face. Quit…
The Dog Lovers
The Dog Lovers So they bought you And kept you in a Very good home Cental heating TV A deep freeze A very good home- No one to take you For that lovely long run- But otherwise '…
Teeth
Teeth English Teeth, English Teeth! Shining in the sun A part of British heritage Aye, each and every one. English Teeth, Happy Teeth! Always having fun Clamping down on bits of…
Porridge
Porridge Why is there no monument To Porridge in our land? It it's good enough to eat, It's good enough to stand! On a plinth in London A statue we should see Of Porridge made i…
So Fair is She
So Fair is She So fair is she! So fair her face So fair her pulsing figure Not so fair The maniacal stare Of a husband who's much bigger.
On the Ning Nang Nong
On the Ning Nang Nong On the Ning Nang Nong Where the Cows go Bong! and the monkeys all say BOO! There's a Nong Nang Ning Where the trees go Ping! And the tea pots jibber jabber…
Mirror, Mirror
Mirror, Mirror A young spring-tender girl combed her joyous hair 'You are very ugly' said the mirror. But, on her lips hung a smile of dove-secret loveliness, for only that morn…
Jumbo Jet
Jumbo Jet I saw a little elephant standing in my garden, I said 'You don't belong in here', he said 'I beg you pardon?', I said 'This place is England, what are you doing here?'…
Maveric
Maveric Maveric Prowles Had Rumbling Bowles That thundered in the night. It shook the bedrooms all around And gave the folks a fright. The doctor called; He was appalled When th…
Goodbye S.S.
Goodbye S.S. Go away girl, go away and let me pack my dreams Now where did I put those yesteryears made up with broken seams Where shall I sweep the pieces my God they still loo…
Halved
Halved The essence of true beauty Lingers in all-encompassing rainbows Of your joy and laughter You hold my hand and smile As we ensconce ourselves in our world of fire Our love…