Peter Carpenter
Yesterday’s Solution
Away from the discipline of the true coast road
where each verge reveals the sea’s sheer hold
we emerge onto the M2 past Ballymoney, Ballymena,
immersed in those clues that just won’t come easy.
Through the haze we’d imagined waves off Rathlin.
We braved the tide-line and a frothed cold swim,
putty-white toes leaving their marks in wet sand.
Now along the Lagan up to Queen’s Bridge the sides
of houses and miles of scrap are innocently defined
by growing shadow.We sit in traffic. Some drivers
stretch their legs, switch off. An evening breeze twitches
loud ties. In that tough last corner ‘adamant’ might just fit.
A controlled explosion tremors across the water.
Ambulances mount the kerb.We mouth ‘Jesus Christ’
and register the smoke’s sudden, obvious meaning.
Diversions follow peace-lines, draw us all into the night.
The next morning we head back into the centre
past men who rake layers of tarmac.A cauldron
of pitch is stirred. It steams.We look for the solution
in today’s paper. There. The words we didn’t get.
where each verge reveals the sea’s sheer hold
we emerge onto the M2 past Ballymoney, Ballymena,
immersed in those clues that just won’t come easy.
Through the haze we’d imagined waves off Rathlin.
We braved the tide-line and a frothed cold swim,
putty-white toes leaving their marks in wet sand.
Now along the Lagan up to Queen’s Bridge the sides
of houses and miles of scrap are innocently defined
by growing shadow.We sit in traffic. Some drivers
stretch their legs, switch off. An evening breeze twitches
loud ties. In that tough last corner ‘adamant’ might just fit.
A controlled explosion tremors across the water.
Ambulances mount the kerb.We mouth ‘Jesus Christ’
and register the smoke’s sudden, obvious meaning.
Diversions follow peace-lines, draw us all into the night.
The next morning we head back into the centre
past men who rake layers of tarmac.A cauldron
of pitch is stirred. It steams.We look for the solution
in today’s paper. There. The words we didn’t get.
Page(s) 43
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