NORMAL TOWN POET
Self-regarding
Self-effacing
Selfie at 65
Eyes – scarred
Piles- fixed
Hernia – fixed
Ears – Tinnitus
Brain- forgets names
Hands – scarred wrinkled
Feet – chilblained
Hair – grey thinner
Optimism – constrained
Politics – centrist was left
Artwork – little
Writing – occasional
Music- listen not make
Income – pensions
Abode – secure and flawed
Outlook- slow depreciation
Partner – tolerant
Cat- poorly
Family – a way away
A selfie at 65
I will do another at 70
I have a plan
The taste of salt on the tongue
Kids gone to uni now empty nester
Husband in marketing doing well
Always wanted to write
Met a small press woman
Now I got a pamphlet
Next year a prize
Discovering a new poet every day
over coffee in Waterstones
Elizabeth Bishop is amazing
I really struggled with words
But now I have so much free time
To devote to my passion
Words come easy
Over a prosecco in the garden
Wonderful thing is
There hundreds like me
It a real movement
Lovely to meet so many like me
Ever read Virginia Wolf?
She’s amazing
Never thought I could do it too
I voted for Brexit, regret it now.
DARK MARILYN
Our sweet matter to anti-matter
the gilded cage gridded, blocks, contains
epitome of class, pleasure and power
Always six paces behind, a life of service
I brushed by them one east end afternoon
As Charles and Nigella floated by
Like peacocks emerging from a stairwell
Their expensive coats azure blue, bejewelled
At a secret view of Conran’s new restaurant
I stood watching my artist friend imitate Chagall
Stair painted for the decorative pleasure of diners
Indian and Jewish colours swirling like feathers
A car waiting above to return her to a fake kitchen
A fake marriage with fake lighting, fake cooking
Performing normality in front of chauffer and chef
The ringmaster always in control, labour doesn’t work
A Thatcherite generation child lost to trauma
Washed up in a promotional video that became life
Decorous, dysfunctional, abused, depressed
Then trapped in a paparazzi shot forever choked
Mouth dripping chocolate like fake blood
Dark Marilyn
A new chocolate bar.
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