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

They met - as agreed, in another dream,
It was her turn to travel to the past;
They lunched in a cafe - in a subway now buried -
She asked "How long were these buildings here?”
He replied "A long, long time, before I was born - I believe"
Together, they walked to the old Bull Ring,
He said "I never want to leave",
Among the pigeons circling round them
Was one, heaven-white dove;
A reminder of peace, or the eternal soul;
"So" he asked her "Where shall we go?”
"I've something to show you" she said;
The scene dissolved before their eyes,
And now, there stood a building made up of silver discs
Reflecting pure, white light from shining, city skies;
He was surprised "I've never seen this place before"
She gave a sad smile "You wouldn't have,
For this is now - and that -was then;
Still, I'm glad we can be together",
And the Birmingham sunset began to fall
In neon-violet and electric rose;
The two spirits stood, watched over by
The old church of St Martin's,
"I'd better go" he said "My energy seems low,
And we are held by a silver cord
To our distant, sleeping selves";
They promised to meet, for one, entire week:
"Tomorrow, I'll take you to St. Ives"
"On Sunday, we'll go to Sutton Park"
"On Monday, we'll go to Paris, or Venice"
They laughed....and laughed, and laughed
Till their laughter turned into the pigeons
Circling around the church in a flurry of ghostly wings,
Then darkness fell,
The birds separated into night-black flecks;
As if they had never been.
At six in the morning, she awoke,
All the clocks had stopped.