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

hello in waitin rooms wen goodbye ud be more like
lords snortin inheritance away lady blahblahblah
copin with vomitin & gin      royals beatin exwives

& do try winnin our coverstars fabulous frock
yu wont notice th stains      & ahm queuin for help
tho best these places offer is a nice cup o tea

t thi stressed depressed battered suicidal
see hes left yu with both arms in plaster ahl be mum
receptionist returns      hope theres not too much sugar

fraid we dont have space til after weekend
& ahm sposed t keep washin down ma happy tablets
wi a dose o take it easy      ahll put yu down for then     ok

put me down for a coffin      5 foot nothin
& 2 for ma weans      polis can advise on yr safety
if he does harrass in any way they can act

is there anyone with whom yu cd mebbe stay
but bizzies r fuckers as gave mcenemy ma new address
cos th wanker in a wig judged bastard psychofather

t be famly man & the weans needin a fucken role model
eyes blow up storm as she hands mi card
wi their number on wen its ma number thas up

mcenemys a man o his word & out on good behaviour
je sus fucken christ yr gonna have more than blood
on yr hands      is there no one on this fucken lump

o dyin rock hoo gives a fuck bout me bout us
but all she can do is hold door open & me with nowhere
else t go      walk out alone t face ma enemy

***

hard keepin still enuf t read
ahm th flame that never blows oot
ripped & pasted thru ma letterbox
cut ma hand on iz hatemail doublecheck
deadlocks tho mcenemy unpicks everythin
save ma deathsentence & th nearest polis
7 miles away & unmanned this time o day

tryin no t do ma nut @ weans
til jeannie takes us for last walk
neath grit cliffs blunted by windwhip
bowed pink head o thrift refusin t
give in on ledge o this border country
as inky sea & lowerin storm merge
tides returnin & ahm down t last wish

makin ma peace on this beach
aa wheel & spin th many rings
contained in trees amputated limb
spindrift slung on rock consigns
rainbow silt o leaves t memory
dark skewers broken easily
ma poor fucken crown o thorns

***

deep root in
seed
displaces rock

adolescent arms
flay
raucous wind

later      conductin
their
requiem

aa wedge
rowan
torn from moorins

into crevice
with thorns
o black rock

sea sheard
salt suckd forms
o plastic culld

from tides detritus
r placed
on bare branches

twisted
fruit
for fallen body

***

walk home wi jeannies hands roun me
& rain bows farewell t th Al
a spectrum o light takin flight
kaleidoscope bridge hurld t infinity

weans cling roun ma neck in goodbye
aa tell em be good tell em no t cry
& now without place t hide ahm writin
all this down before mcenemys blitzkrieg

100km out on hoodies blades o black
wich slice this savage season      parted
wen closer than petals      love is guillotined
shadow knife fast flown over grievin

***

distant cities glow
dark rocks
& half way below

half truths lie
in cackles
o herringull
razorbill
kittywake
puffin
fulmar
gannet
shag

parliament
in
cacophanous
session
as
fathom
on fathom
o sheer
rock
dives
tward
oiled sea

waves
explosion
drowning
voice on
voice

erosion
o th
fabulist

***