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

Then I met a man called
Fred who got up on Friday
Morning, had a good breakfast, got
His car out of the garage, drove
Through town to the Atomic
Research Centre, went into
His office, got out his files and
Figures, continued his research into
Counterforce strategy, reached
The stage of computing the
Stock-piles needed, in reserve,
To blast the Chinese population to
Death in the event of an
Emergency (not for the Chinese), then
Got in his car, drove home, had
A drink and supper, watched
TV and went to bed, got up the
Saturday morning, had a good
Breakfast, went to the office, got
Out his figures and graphs,
Continued his research, made some
Affirmatory comments on the proximity of
Chinese military sites to their
Large centres of population, implying
These as co-operative targets, went out,
Got in the car, went home, had supper,
Watched TV, went to bed, got
Up on Sunday, went to the
Seventh Anabaptist Church, knelt,
And prayed to Christ the King, to
Programme men's hearts, in the ways most
Accurate, to that ineffable design,
The love of God, his Heavenly
Father, went home, didn't play
Golf, watched TV, put his
Feet up, went to bed, got up on
Monday morning, went to the office,
Got out his figures, graphs, came
To further conclusions about
Chinese infantry concentrations in
Fall-out, then had a lunch, not seeing,
Having his lunch also, the face of a
Heavenly Spirit, who sat opposite him,
And adored this man, his creature, watching
Him closely, and wishing him well.