cleave poems

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A selection of my cleave poems

***ALSO SEE THE CLEAVE poetry webzine***

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In memoriam Saigon

(First published in the July 2009 edition of The Firmament)

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A cleave poem: Mountain Whispers.

“The first robins are here now, the little green crocus swords have worked their way upward, the first pink buds of the cherry trees are ready to bloom.” Dennis Kelly

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A Wedding Cleave poem: Anam Cara – my soul mate

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Migration

Swifts and swallows leave – while I grasp for memories like

fruit – remnants of home

riddled with holes – my baby cools in my arms

dripping fermented juice – the milk from her mouth

sweet – sticks under my fingernails

under blushing trees – the guards, with eloquent guns, demand my  coat

those that can’t leave expect a cold winter – they smirk at my battered sweetbox

with its few hopes – inside are smuggled postcards of thatched houses

and promises – of English orchards.

(Written especially for The Evangelical Alliance ‘Don’t be a Stranger’ Campaign,

also published in flashquake Volume 8 – Issue 3 Spring 2009).

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Cleave: 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

_________________________

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Cleave: Steak and red wine

_______________The sirens whine-flames flash
_____and lights slice through smoke-heavy with the smell of steak
shrouding bodies littering the ground-charred at the edges.
_The policeman stalks a straight line-I swallow, I gulp
_____________________I wobble,-expensive
_____________booze on my breath-red wine
_____________and guilt in my guts-trying to conceal burnt meat.

(published in flashquake [poetry] Volume 8 – Issue 2 Winter 2008/2009 )

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Cleave: Charm.

00000000000000000Don’t let him charm you
don’t listen to his promises his words like birds
0000000000scattering flies that flit from brow to lash,
000000ready for your flesh, stroking feather kisses on your lips
0he squawks in expectation humming in your ears,
0flapping inside your skull as he lies next to you.
0000000000000000Don’t! Let him charm you!

(first published in Lights out & other poems: 26 July 2008.)

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