Helena Nelson
A Hesitation Over Socks
Philpott has never hesitated over socks
until today. His hose lie ironed
in a special drawer, soles aired
in wool-rich patience, two by two
queued to be worn. On rising he always
surveys the ranks, sweeping his gaze
across grey and blue, worsted and plain,
awaiting the surge, the groin tingle,
the firm herald saluting his choice.
But today droops limp and uncertain.
No cock crow of confidence, rush of the blood.
He stares at the glass, seeing the briskness
drain from his face. Could he be ill?
A shuddered chill of winter encroaches
as, safe in her kitchen, his wife announces
irrelevant breakfast. He slumps on the bed,
collapsed to a sigh - and nearly misses
the electrically obvious Royal Ramblers,
rich green footwear with feature toes,
a left foot and right foot, carefully hung
over the Dimplex in twinned content.
His manhood lifts and his heart with it.
Mrs Philpott has done it. She's laid them ready.
He pulls on his socks and his shoes and he walks
swiftly, smartly down every stair
to her unexpected self and kisses her.
Page(s) 32
magazine list
- Features
- zines
- 10th Muse
- 14
- Acumen
- Agenda
- Ambit
- Angel Exhaust
- ARTEMISpoetry
- Atlas
- Blithe Spirit
- Borderlines
- Brando's hat
- Brittle Star
- Candelabrum
- Cannon's Mouth, The
- Chroma
- Coffee House, The
- Dream Catcher
- Equinox
- Erbacce
- Fabric
- Fire
- Floating Bear, The
- French Literary Review, The
- Frogmore Papers, The
- Global Tapestry
- Grosseteste Review
- Homeless Diamonds
- Interpreter's House, The
- Iota
- Journal, The
- Lamport Court
- London Magazine, The
- Magma
- Matchbox
- Matter
- Modern Poetry in Translation
- Monkey Kettle
- Moodswing
- Neon Highway
- New Welsh Review
- North, The
- Oasis
- Obsessed with pipework
- Orbis
- Oxford Poetry
- Painted, spoken
- Paper, The
- Pen Pusher Magazine
- Poetry Cornwall
- Poetry London
- Poetry London (1951)
- Poetry Nation
- Poetry Review, The
- Poetry Salzburg Review
- Poetry Scotland
- Poetry Wales
- Private Tutor
- Purple Patch
- Quarto
- Rain Dog
- Reach Poetry
- Review, The
- Rialto, The
- Second Aeon
- Seventh Quarry, The
- Shearsman
- Smiths Knoll
- Smoke
- South
- Staple
- Strange Faeces
- Tabla Book of New Verse, The
- Thumbscrew
- Tolling Elves
- Ugly Tree, The
- Weyfarers
- Wolf, The
- Yellow Crane, The