Poetry Magazines - The best collection of poetry magazines online - Simon Armitage

Poetry Library Southbank Centre - The Poetry Library housing the Arts Council Collection at Southbank Centre

« Previous item
Contents of this issue
Next item »

Simon Smith

print this page

The Magician, Jack Spicer

Rattled Tupperware can scarcely control my excitement.

The gifts started rolling it up all over again, sent the present
Squeezed out of the tube in chain reaction to the kick which

Back to back switches the fallback position to fall out
Of the blue a light bulb sputters its lack of breath on

Cold air ideas in black and white, please, gestures to twist

And stall the angels as they amble up the close, so
Close the gate - were you born in a barn too close

By the stable?  Kicking their heels - mind how you go there
You go again there you go stalling - all poets are lyres

In the city with a blue edge that laps my front door-
Step, so close to knowledge a dimly held view under

Street lamps outside the weather defiantly Russian right
Off of Mayakovsky's steppes to the bend in the view-

Finder.   So what do you do you do what you do

Do don't you - all or nothing or do it all to the heart
Of you, bound hand and foot, and that's what's burst

Step to one side then proceed to where you go there
Here smiling with all the charm of a Paul Daniels.

Fix me a Jack Jack, the impression cuts right away into
You, you knew all poets are liars didn't you, you knew.

Back to top