Stephen Bone’s poem – Attic

Attic

The sturdy steamer trunks
scabbed with peeling labels.

The rusty rictus
of an upturned grate.

An abacus subtracting
beads onto the floor.

A blind doll. A flock
of damaged shuttlecocks.

A gramophone long retired,
Toscanini At The Met, still in place.

A Baby Belling.
A yellow beach ball

still limply holding
his father’s breath.

 

This poem first published in Smiths Knoll

 

His collection, In The Cinema is published by Playdead Press 2014, £7.99

Stephen Bone started writing poetry several years ago, encouraged by Alan Ross. His work has appeared in magazines including Seam, Smiths Knoll, The Interpreter’s House, The Rialto among others. He has worked in television, theatre and film.

Stephen Bone Featured Poet

 

Arctic Fox

 

For decades it must have hung –

this last relic of her vanity –

like an unwanted rescue dog

in her wardrobe’s mothballed cave.

Room to breathe, the Danish furrier had said.

Burlesquely I wrap myself in its embrace,

feel an almost living warmth, dark hint

of an Arctic summer running through

the narrow head and back.

A stale whisper of its perfumed history,

returning her in Kodak colour

sipping Fernet Branca on Alpine terraces

or promenading Cunard decks. Mouth full-blown

with Victory Red; amber eyes like set traps.

 

Ode To A Deckchair

 

Roused

from cobwebbed hibernation,

you regain yourself, emblem

of holidays. Sun soaked

dreams of cornflower skies

and slumped ease

unfolded

with your teak bones.

A weathered veteran

brave faced to the washout

in city parks, suburban yards;

a salted sea dog,

your striped lap punching

back at the gale, robust

as the bandstand’s brass

blown tunes. Far

from the pier’s oily air

your true worth shown;

benign as a lifeboat

among the shoes

and crockery

you offer yourself,

a buoyant chance

against all odds.

 

In The Cinema, published Playdead Press 2014, £7.99

To read a review go to Robin Houghton’s blog here.

 
Stephen Bone started writing poetry several years ago, encouraged by Alan Ross. His work has appeared in magazines including Seam, Smiths Knoll, The Interpreter’s House, The Rialto among others. He has worked in television, theatre and film.