PICKINGS

Poetry from NHI publications

A MILE BEYOND THE BUS
Two horses on a grassed-over spoil heap imitate Lloyd's Bank ads in free-flow to-fro rushes. Where the res water's hosepipeban-low the outflow tower stands tall now on rerevealed ground, a hooded localised splendour well fitted for young but strength growing wizard in a transformation song. Just by where we stand barn and dwelling all in one straight line under one lace-gapped roof even empty this laithe house still smells life-strong. Scars in the clouds right over Calderdale heal almost and then over-exerted tear open one more time ripped by this wind. Dark appears in them dirt the surgeon missed or scalpel ends stitches that won't dissolve or faces of nothing as yet born. A sudden snatch of rearranging gale that even makes us bend and all the edge's shape comes clear, lit in stiff amateur painter streaks by sun come drawing water. So busy watching all this happen before our very minds we forgot the quarrel we came right up here to have where nobody could listen.
STEVE SNEYD

A MILE BEYOND THE BUS

Two horses on a grassed-over spoil heap
imitate Lloyd's Bank ads
in free-flow to-fro rushes.

Where the res water's hosepipeban-low the outflow
tower stands tall now on rerevealed ground, a hooded
localised splendour well fitted for
young but strength growing wizard in a transformation song.

Just by where we stand
barn and dwelling all in one straight line
under one lace-gapped roof even empty this
laithe house still smells life-strong.

Scars in the clouds right over Calderdale
heal almost and then
over-exerted tear open one more time
ripped by this wind.

Dark appears in them dirt the surgeon
missed or scalpel ends stitches that won't
dissolve or faces
of nothing as yet born.

A sudden snatch of rearranging gale
that even makes us bend and all the edge's shape
comes clear, lit in stiff amateur painter streaks
by sun come drawing water.

So busy watching all this happen
before our very minds we forgot
the quarrel we came right up here to have
where nobody could listen.

STEVE SNEYD

from
A Mile Beyond The Bus
ISBN 0 903610 11 6

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Artwork by Ian M. Emberson

read an article by Steve Sneyd on The Number Of Language
read an article by Steve Sneyd on The Inclusion of Poetry in Novels
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This page last updated: 14th November 2006.