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 »

Bryan Podmore

print this page

I could try if I'd have a mind

            an acrobatic energetic
                 sprawling line
                     glancing
over my paper at the athletes
jostling around, flexing shiny limbs.

Which idler put the telly on?

This lot puff and stretch and false-start
as if those were the best games to play
while I, far less frenetic, man,
have my interruptions marshalled
round about start and puffing finish.

The e-mail will stutter
or the phone kindly go;
someone will be ringing
about the ad I put in
simply asking for it.

Was it distraction
           offers of idleness
           love-probes
           or
           a comfy double bed?

I sprint away so smartly but
get dragged back from every sidetrack
to watch hurdlers hardly rise
above the little clanging gates.
Skidded home, they drop hands on knees

and pant out reassurance that
it’s as hard as we were thinking
as they look up for the replay
that will take them so much more
easily back through their paces.

The bother is they’ll probably
expect to do better next time
while reminding me,
so slow a learner,
I could do worse.

Back to top