10-07-2011, 04:26 AM
Revision 10-10-2011 further edit to S2 11-10-2011
in the concrete rockpools
of wave-worn beach defences
tumbled pill boxes, tank traps,
I cradle fossilised fish scales
sea glass, the bones of dinosaurs
stanzas from prehistory
held in my palm.
Church bells ring a sailor’s knell
six fathoms deep
wrecked ships
rot under marker buoys.
Once, a man
walking the coast road to Out Newton
morning-times
saw the head-ends of coffins
protruding from the muddy cliff, jutting
out over the seething water below
brass plates glinting like gold teeth
sand-martins perched on vacant handles
and the kittiwakes shrill like children
collecting bones from the clay
Revision 10-10-2011
original post
[b]in the concrete rockpools
of wave-worn beach defences
I cradle fossilised fish scales
sea glass, the bones of dinosaurs
images from prehistory
stanzas trapped in pebbles
in my palm.
The rush of tides batter homes and barns
land crumbles like confidence, wind stings
splashes my face ruddy with expectation
of a future where time does not matter.
Church bells ring a sailor’s knell
six fathoms deep
next to the ship wrecks out there
where sea meets sky.
Once, a man
walking the coast road to Out Newton
morning-times
saw the head-ends of coffins
protruding from the muddy cliff, jutting
out over the seething water below
sand-martins perched on vacant handles
brass plates glinting like gold teeth
and the kittiwakes shrill like children
collecting bones from the clay
laying down the empirical truths
that will mould the texture of found souls.
in the concrete rockpools
of wave-worn beach defences
tumbled pill boxes, tank traps,
I cradle fossilised fish scales
sea glass, the bones of dinosaurs
stanzas from prehistory
held in my palm.
Church bells ring a sailor’s knell
six fathoms deep
wrecked ships
rot under marker buoys.
Once, a man
walking the coast road to Out Newton
morning-times
saw the head-ends of coffins
protruding from the muddy cliff, jutting
out over the seething water below
brass plates glinting like gold teeth
sand-martins perched on vacant handles
and the kittiwakes shrill like children
collecting bones from the clay
Revision 10-10-2011
original post
[b]in the concrete rockpools
of wave-worn beach defences
I cradle fossilised fish scales
sea glass, the bones of dinosaurs
images from prehistory
stanzas trapped in pebbles
in my palm.
The rush of tides batter homes and barns
land crumbles like confidence, wind stings
splashes my face ruddy with expectation
of a future where time does not matter.
Church bells ring a sailor’s knell
six fathoms deep
next to the ship wrecks out there
where sea meets sky.
Once, a man
walking the coast road to Out Newton
morning-times
saw the head-ends of coffins
protruding from the muddy cliff, jutting
out over the seething water below
sand-martins perched on vacant handles
brass plates glinting like gold teeth
and the kittiwakes shrill like children
collecting bones from the clay
laying down the empirical truths
that will mould the texture of found souls.