January 2015

  • A bricklayer

    He starts at seven with the others, warming up in the cool shade before the sun surmounts the trees, radio chattering, playing songs he knows. He begins a new line. The mortar, right mix of cement and sand, lies heaped like mousse on the board. Lifted, distributed, lifted, distributed, then levelled with one long light Read more

  • owl thinking

    an owl on brown bark its eyes black zeroes its face a white heart it gathers the light of the stars if you are a mouse it is thinking of you From a painting by wildlife artist Jeremy Paul Read more

  • leaf

    I say about leaves nothing I’m thousands hanging in one, composting on of millions, wet, eaten, churned to mush, a leaf of billions, trillions the sunshine First published in Uneven Floor Read more

  • The hanging fronds of my tree swing with the wind When it blows a lot they move a lot They thrash, slap, whip, yank at themselves When it blows a little they move a little, back and forth between the pull of the air and the hold of the tensile trunk In the odd hour Read more

  • Green dot

    Gmail showed a green dot beside your name just under the green dot beside mine We the two awake dots among the sleeping greys One easy click to chat you, reach through the net, pop up a smile— One easy click for you, too. Maybe your screen had many other dots equally green, and mine Read more