November Morning in the Cul-de-sac
Birch tree skeletons in a ring
glassily immobile as if sunk
under floodwater, as if all changes
have been gone through
and this the world’s last state,
sky the blue of a bird’s egg,
rooftiles the whitened scales
of the serpent biting its own tail :
till the standstill shears from the force
of jackdaws’ wingbeats rowing
in steady flight across the air – that,
and the restless flitting of your gaze,
your ribcage
…………riding irrepressible breath,
commonplace thought
…………..running
……………………..quicksilver.
.
Steve Xerri is a former teacher, musician & designer now making pots and writing poetry. He won the title of Canterbury Festival Poet of the Year 2017, and his work has been published or is forthcoming in Acumen, Amaryllis, Atrium, Brittle Star, Cinnamon anthology From Hallows to Harvest, Clear Poetry, Envoi, Fresh Air Poetry, Ink Sweat and Tears, Ó Bhéal anthology ‘Five Words Vol XII’, The Clearing, The Interpreter’s House, Picaroon, The Poetry Shed, Poetry Society Newsletter, Proletarian Poetry, Sentinel Literary Quarterly, Stride Magazine and Words For The Wild.
Abegail Morley 