Poem 18

Conjoined poems, exterior and interior narratives back to back making a little flare of self-knowledge … published in Islands in 1987 ….

… for the audio I had to find a way to read this out loud and chose to interleave it but on the page (as displayed on a desktop or tablet) it probably works best to read down the left side (October) followed by the right side (Avalanche) – then imagine they’re both going on simultaneously …

… if you’re reading on a phone the format will come out scrambled so I’m posting a phone-friendly (interleaved) version further down the page …

( I like the way head in the freezer unites the two by circling back to unpacking the groceries, making us realise this is all taking place in the same domestic moment … )

October / Inside The Avalanche

Jill opens the door							      Remembering a story
to a hunchbacked boy				                                                   I read
and his bloodstained friends					       about a man trapped
saying trick or treat							                            for 8 days
the 31st									                  inside an avalanche
               yes it is							    melting further and further
I blame television									                    down
I am still putting away the shopping				          in the first days
Jill takes the bag of potato chips				  while he could still reach
we have just bought							           he made a little flag
and gives it to the goblins			             out of two red tickets he bought
who are impressed									             to a dance
with our generosity							          and placed it outside
Jill thinks they are no match							    they saved him
for the monster									     head in the freezer
stamping round the kitchen							     it occurs to me
pretending he's not mad						       that I don't like dances

October / Inside The Avalanche

Jill opens the door
to a hunchbacked boy
and his bloodstained friends
saying trick or treat
the 31st
               yes it is
I blame television

	remembering a story
	I read
	about a man trapped
	for 8 days
	inside an avalanche
	melting further and further
	down
									                 
I am still putting away the shopping
Jill takes the bag of potato chips
we have just bought
and gives it to the goblins
who are impressed									          
with our generosity

	in the first days
	while he could still reach
	he made a little flag
	out of two red tickets he bought
	to a dance
	and placed it outside

         they saved him
			 
Jill thinks they are no match							  
for the monster									     
stamping round the kitchen							    
pretending he's not mad

	head in the freezer
	it occurs to me
	that I don't like dances