Poem 305

A young talented man faced with a decision … if not so young or not so talented maybe the outcome would be different but with those two circumstances together …

( I like the rainbow of hopes moving from the serene end of the spectrum through to fiery ambition, the invisible combustion engine that drives a life, the way oranges is plural suggesting shades of the colour as well as fruit, how we’re returned to the streets of the postie run as the actor points out a red roof, nice half-rhyme on home/comes/gone … there’s also something of Joni Mitchell’s song Cactus Tree in this … )

Poem For An Actor

All morning on your postie run
you have talked to your child
your child that is like the round
insect head of a train
shunting towards you

you have pointed out your hopes
and explained their colours
the blue and violet applause
rolling like clouds over your life
long green working days
yellow of a profession
oranges of satisfaction
of challenges put away one by one
and redder than that roof
                                                   red edging
into heat fire underground
burning in dog and postie alike
that must be answered

you have given your child its first story
this morning
                         curled in her belly at home
you have told it not to be surprised
when it comes
                             to find you gone