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Poetry Library Southbank Centre - The Poetry Library housing the Arts Council Collection at Southbank Centre

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Chris Beckett

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Allumeuse

I heard the story and I thought of you -
you as a bird dodging pine trees
that hissed as the fire
tore breath from bark,

you with wings
and a delicate beak
strafed by the shrapnel
of exploding cones,

you terrified out of your wits
and running on air
but finding the currents
suddenly savage and unpredictable,

and all the men with hoses looking up
wondering if you would make it,
hoping you would because
you were small and beautiful,

you almost making it
before you hit the final hoop,
emerging like a circus dog
but this time in full flame,

flapping your wings to put it out
but already too late,
fanning the flames instead,
flying on empty

for over fifty yards
with a posse of firemen
dragging their hoses
through the undergrowth

and shouting at each other
la-bas! la-bas!
in an effort to get to you
before you landed

and set another
forest on fire.

 

Page(s) 26-27

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