The bay tree’s gone,chopped to let the sunlight in,but fighting back with fresh shootsand a surprisefluorescent yellow evening primrosegrowing at its roots. Yesterday, I walked in places new,soaked my idle boots in dewdodged overhanging branchesand brambles still heavy with plump fruit,past haystacks, across recently ploughed fieldsto sudden joy – a crop of […]
Self-Portrait with Hands
They have teased music from a classical guitar, woven brightly dyed wool into a winter knit, and pencilled themselves into a sketch. They cover my face now, as I pose before a speckled, frameless mirror tucked away, out of sight, under the stairs. She’s there, somewhere in the shadows, the one whose fingers plucked and […]
How Many Times
How manytimes have I eavesdropped onyour dreams? Laid my ear on your heart asit beat next to mine? Strained to hear your hopes and fearsas they whispered behind sea blue eyes?Drunk salt tears from eaves thattell no lies? Kim M. Russell, 7th September 2020 A triquain quadrille for dVerse Poets Pub’s Monday Eavesdropping
Eavesdropping
i am eaves- dropping on the rain dripping and the leaves whispering spiralling autumn secrets in a richly coloured helix hoarding them in gutters leaving them in piles to rust disintegrate into delicate skeletons cart- wheeling into winter colliding with snowflakes and falling stars Kim M. Russell, 7th September 2020 My quadrille for the dVerse […]
Armageddon Revisited
The man said global warming was fake news,a conspiracy, a feeble attempt to screwa thriving economy. The man said it was fine to own a rifle or handgun,as long as it was just for fun, to carry onhunting without a care. The man said he needed more electricity,forget turbines, solar panels and the sea,go nuclear. […]
Breath
an inhalationpenetrating lungs and soulexhaled as a breathmolecules of life and deathrecycled in sweet repose Kim M. Russell, 2nd September 2020 My response to Poets and Storytellers United Weekly Scribblings #35: The Joy of Rest Rommy says that, in today’s over-busy world, we sometimes forget the importance of taking a break, and she would […]
On the Soft Skin of the Underside
In the days of physical elasticity,instant sparks of electricityand youthful hunger,whether in daylight, twilight or moonlight,lips and teeth tended to tattoo and collide on the soft skin of the underside. Now I love to tangle in the copper hairon forearms, chest and belly, wherewinter frost has started to appear,but it is on the soft skin […]
A Hike in the Moselle Valley
When I was about nineteen and living in Cologne, after repeated ferocious tonsillitis my tonsils were finally removed. A hike in the Moselle Valley had been planned by some male friends of mine and they insisted I come along, post-operative or not. It was late autumn, frosty and cold. The ancient hotel we were staying […]
Lazarus
Mynamecrumblesfrom my mouth,a piece of coral. You might think I’m smiling but it’s rictus –I’m as terrified of youas you are of me. If you could seeinto my spine,you’d find it’s hollow,encased in an armoury of external teeth –all the better to eat – and my eyes are even bigger than my mouth –all the […]
Ox Head
They said he was untameable and afraid of his own shadow,branded skittish with an ox head,none could soothe his rodeo. The gentling of Bucephalus began with the gentle whispersand flourished into fraternitywithout saddle, reins or spurs. They camped under starless skies,future king and Thessalian steed,faced the sting of metaland watched men bleed. Too many men and horses […]
writing in north norfolk 