Apologies to Philip Levine

Christmas, Martha-Mary Chapel

Let me side step the velvet rope

Step back to all my silent nights

Back pew a pantry shelf

For jars of doubters and those drawn

To take in the night through tonsured

Monks of wavy pane, enough to sit

Straight backed, feet planted

Our shoulders delivered, bags of cement

Stacked neatly just outside the door.

repost

Price of Love

Buried in nuts and bolts stored

Chock a bloc in Town Club crates,

High on

Dim garage shelves,

Hidden within tins of mink

Oil and saddle soap stowed

In a low landing crawl,

Rolled tubed inside black and white

Glossy prints of Brylcreemed Masons

Rounding white linen twelve tops,

Hoisting gunmetal well drinks,

Pocketed in Roebuck work pants

Sagging on a chair back,

Soft music of your belt buckle,

Knuckle of keys at midnight

Crept into my childhood dreams.

The price of love

Written in a blocky hand

I longed to feel

Flat and cool against my brow. 

Anniversary poem

Price of Love

Buried in nuts and bolts stored

Chock a bloc in Town Club crates

High on

Dim garage shelves

Hidden within tins of mink

Oil and saddle soap stowed

In the low landing crawl

Rolled tubed with black and white

Glossy prints of Brylcreemed Masons

Rounding white linen twelve tops

Hoisting gunmetal well drinks

Pocketed in Roebuck work pants

Sagging on a chair back

Soft music of your belt buckle

Knuckle of keys at midnight

Crept into my childhood dreams

The price of love

Written in a blocky hand

I yearned to feel cool

On my fevered brow.