they are buried deep
where the marshmallow weed
in saffron flowering
hints an exotic surprise
each chemise petal floats
over the unspoken truth of address
disembarks to street signs
how they ordered pizza
pulled another toenail out
rang home to say goodnight
before anxious children slept
taken from the kerbside
a zebra crossing prey in running
the day of gloss engraved enamel
from a photographer’s almanac
the dead are not silent here
awaiting our conversation
to voice the fortitude of disobedience
while their bones applaud
ReplyDeleteWhat a bright bone to greet my morning
a conversation about unspoken truth!
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Delete
DeleteEnemies of the state
look smaller every day
inch of bone pound of fat
spectacles are dropped
till all of a sudden
they're talking like rabbits
and cannot stop
Rise rabbits, rise! I was feeling a little grim - like losing four decades of apparent social progression and cohesion to all the forces of evil, but then again....
ReplyDeletethe clattering of dry bones
ReplyDeletemust be the best applause
James, you've got to do a sequel of Enemies of the State ... some fantastic lines and images - pizza, toenails, zebra crossings - something almost surreal about this piece that I love. Another poet born in the 50s/60s? Social progression versus neoliberalism... some days you don't want to look at the newsfeed!
ReplyDelete