They needed to be wet 
wings that beat against sea 
now heavy 

It was, as it would 
at the end of the summer 
be warm 

It would, as it was
be our last 
forgiving sky  

What overcame us   
was salt
gripping 

The raw tang 
from a bleeding 
ocean lip

What left us,
a time now left to hope
and the wind

I wrote it 
the feather 
plucked.
Pop
out it came
once,

all at once 
for in the space of a minute 
maybe two 
I wrote it 
Fucked it 
Buried it.

It, separate somehow 
from its mother 
who gave it
birthed 
and from whom
it left 

The word  
was 
flume.
You know, flume,
like the water park 
flume.

I was staring  
there was water 
falling off rock
into more water 
from a thought 
not memory.

Now I’m nervous.
Flume
my flume
wriggles 
it needs 
out.

I don’t like it 
now
help 
it here  
it  
hurts.
 
- 
sharp  
inside
me
can’t 
inhale.

No more
this will only end 
as I know it begins.
I spit bars 
I must 
It must.

Here again from memory. 
I’d slip down years ago
wet hair childish skin;
a Flume 
kept my head in thought,
afloat 

I turn, spot the bank 
hurl myself upon the dirt 
to eat its ridge 
hoping the grass  
will line  
my waterlogged stomach 
 
To be here again, 
Flume.
To be young again, 
alive.
To be me here,
again.

Are you afraid 
Are you hurt 
Where are you 

Stop throwing sand 
Into the corners 
Of my eyes 

You know it 
We won’t win
We all do 

The lost blood 
Should remind us 
We’ve been here 

Gas and fire 
A broken hope 
Tunnels, more guns 

Will cause vengeance 
More hardened voices 
The rising youth 

Memories of this 
Wedge into mind 
And hard wire

To mask it 
Justify the cause 
You crouch down 

With your fingers 
Held firm together 
To gather gold 

Death in hand 
Your only goal 
To mask it

Sand sand sand 
Up, away, down 
Clouding the sky 

You can try 
To distract us 
Blind our courage 

You will not 
It must stop 
It will end

Can’t save time,
only spend it.
Your currency; care.

Eye mask
so I wouldn’t wake 
when the light came.

Water 
on the side  
clear jug.

I arrive   
home 
somewhere new.

Misplaced   
on the way here 
until, when I arrived 
there was no one 

The thought 
of nodding 
giving
‘good morning’

I enter, 
green mowed grass 
swings and
goalposts 

A square
open
today
empty 

Bliss.
I’ll walk 
it  
slow
 

The clenched fist rarely pays  
somehow 
it knows
to loosen 

Petals, the yellow type 
like their sun, run 
pale and gold and
lift

like fingers  
release, now open
to feel 
touch

soak 
then pour
through hard shafts
their green blood

Arrival
Into June
a soft month 
to be

You used to fly them 
on a string  
you gave to the wind 

I’d watch you 
Dad
chopping up clouds 

You’d let me  
under your arms 
to hold on

Something 
would grow 
fastened to you 

When we moved here 
mum told be about these 
big birds, Red kites  

Moon eyes 
earth brown wings  
triangle tails 

There are loads   
overhead 
looking down  

I loved that kite
cause I knew
you loved it too 

Maybe there was something 
for you 
at the end of that string 

That these Red kites 
in the sky 
see too 

I am it
open
my heart gives 
as the warm air 
rises, a climb
beyond
bodies 
to joy
I am spirit  

Notes
strings 
open then close 
galvanising 
flesh on the bone 
to jolt
jiggle 
feverish happiness 
alive 
in me    

Colours 
are colours 
I have met 
in a dream
only once 
a taste 
so sweet 
everlasting 
now 
etched 

Love doesn’t say much 
days roll 
evenings patient.
We are 
vulnerable.

I heat half the bbq  
salad and cheese and hot tea 
the cold is held back
early summer, new air 
we breathe.

Give me only this.
Never strip 
this stillness
for as long 
as we sit 
we dance