Anatomy of a cleave poem: November
2008 November 13
I wrote this cleave today on a train journey. I have inluded all the drafts in order, the first being at the bottom. I hope there is something in my process for prospective cleave poets to analyse if they will.
November
The sun weeps - cider tinted tears
for Summer - for the fading
for the moon that hides - light
behind the trees - as Autumn leads Winter
shivering and anaemic - by the hand
***
November
The sun weeps - cider tinted tears
for Summer - for the fading
for the moon that hides - (pale) light
behind the trees - as Autumn leads Winter
shivering and (pale) - by the hand
***
November
The sun weeps - cider tinted tears
for Summer - for the fading
for the moon that hides - pale light
behind the trees - as Autumn leads Winter
shivering and pale - by the hand
***
The sun weeps - cider tinted tears
for summer - for the fading
for the moon that hides - day light
behind the trees - as Autumn leads Winter
shivering and pale - (Winter) by the hand
***
The sun cries - cider tinted tears (are) shed
for summer (for) - for the fading of light
the moon (that) hides - from day
behind the copse of trees - as Autumn leads (her)
shivering and pale - Winter, by the hand.
***
The sun cries - cider tinted tears (are) shed
for summer for - (shed) for the fading of
the moon that hides (from) - day light
behind the copse of trees - as Autumn leads
shivering and pale - Winter by the hand
***
The sun's - tears shed
for summer for - the fading of days
the moon hides - when Autumn touches
(the) behind the copse - Winter leading her
pale and naked - by the hand
***
the sun (weeps) is - gold tears shed
for summer for - the fading of days
the moon flees - when Autumn touches
the trees that - (leads) Winter leading her
pale and naked - by the hand
***
the sun weeps - gold tears
for summer for - fading (like) days
the moon - of Autumn
***
the sun weeps - gold tears
for summer - fading like
(for the moon in the - day)
***
the sun weeps - gold tears










