Natalie Scott – Prisoner whilst in Cell

Prisoner whilst in Cell

1855

three shelves like a
tiered
wedding
cake
cornered in the cell

blankets: pair of, pillow, pair of sheets, rug,
………horse-hair mattress, hammock,

spoon: wooden, plate, gruel tin,
…….salt-cellar: wooden

combs: two, hymn-book, prayer-book,
…………….floor-scrubber, Bible, brush,

not one item out of place
except me, the misplaced bride
…watching
……………their
…………………shadows
………………………………..drag

 

From a forthcoming collection, Rare Birds: Voices of Holloway Prison

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Natalie Scott is a Teesside-based poet and educator with a PhD in Creative Writing. She has collections published by Indigo Dreams, Bradshaw Books and Mudfog, as well as many appearances in literary journals including Ambit, Agenda and Orbis. Her collection Berth – Voices of the Titanic was awarded runner-up for the Cork Literary Review Manuscript Competition, 2011. Her latest project Rare Birds – Voices of Holloway Prison was awarded funding from the Arts Council of England.