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

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Ruth Pink

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that day the whale came into the harbour

the city went about its business school kids skateboarded crunching the steps in the civic square the Prime Minister thumped the table share prices rose and fell buses beetled along the streets trains rattled out to the suburbs pedestrians stood at lights waiting in Cuba Street the bucket fountain was clunking water downwards around the whale the tide flowed in the lunch hour a man handed out pamphlets with a hushed and urgent cry he’s alive no one believes those that know avoided him eyes were down cast the whale’s small eye blinked light on the sea floor is stippled aqua green

office workers came out into sunlight unwrapped sandwiches seagulls gobbled chips a brain damaged busker hugged his radio and danced a strange electric shock shuffle his singing the moan of pain cups with coffee scum sat cradled in saucers the whale’s hide is gun boat grey and it knows about the bottom of the ocean at the bakery meringue mice looked startled in a nearby shop there are blow up ash trays and the Virgin Mary is making a come back on key rings a steady stream of people filed trance-like along the streets as the ferry’s wake split the sea the whale was very still then slunk away a dog lay curled in a guitar case sleeping a string of sausages was the last piece of meat in the window the butcher’s swollen fingers slid along the stainless steel tray blood

is the taste of life in our mouths

 

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