(f21)

tough Welsh cob drinking —
two swans slide in and out of
the marsh marigolds

© Gerald England

Composed: Briton Ferry, 3rd July 1995

Publications

1996 Weyfarers (UK)
1996 Target (UK)

Putting the Horror Movie in Context

PUTTING THE HORROR MOVIE IN CONTEXT

tensions of the night
preventing sleep
we go downstairs
disturb the dog
share tea and cake
with the "Vampire of Venice"
gape as his victim
throws herself from a pinnacle
then wakes up
not with broken back
but naked in his chamber
blood dribbling from mouth

as the television breaks
to a commercial
for washing-up liquid
we laugh - return to bed
equipped to deal
with our own demons

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 17th November 1993

Publications

1994 Weyfarers (UK)
1994 Mobius (USA)
1996 The Affiliate (Canada)
1997 Gallery Zandstraat (Internet)
1998 LIMBO TIME (Hyde, New Hope International)

Ballade of Arthur Dent

BALLADE OF ARTHUR DENT

Damn the Sirius Cybernetics' Corporation,
there are things not said in the Hitchhiker's Guide.
I need some proper elaboration -
the Nutrimat seems to deliver pesticide!
I'm sure that my brain is about to collide
unless the mind in my head is an absentee.
There's one thing I've craved since I started this ride
- all that I want is a decent cup of tea !

Parts of the Universe defy exploration
but even Zaphod Beeblebrox won't know where to hide
when the Vogon's decide on redecoration
to fill all the lakes with hydrogen chloride -
such actions as Marvin could never abide,
but that paranoid android's only a draftee
in whom scatter-brained humans fail to confide
- all that I want is a decent cup of tea !

In Vogon poetry there's no melioration
but unless you appeal to the Captain's pride
the Heart of Gold won't see restoration -
only Bugblatter Beasts can breath carbon monoxide
and they actually thrive on cyanide.
Once I was an Infocom devotee
but now I'm considering suicide
- all that I want is a decent cup of tea !

ENVOI

Ford, I've followed you all the way across the great divide.
I realise there can be no guarantee
but seven sixes is the answer I'll provide
- all that I want is a decent cup of tea !

© Gerald England

Composed: Ashton under Lyne, 1st November 1986

Publications

1990 Weyfarers (UK)
1992 STEALING KISSES (Hyde, New Hope International)
1993 Periaktos (UK)

Jodrell Bank Telescope

JODRELL BANK TELESCOPE

A white shadow shines through night cloud.
In the afternoon, distanced, a bowl
of quarried light hung against the horizon -
re-orientated in evening glimmer we
see it filled with gallon upon gallon
of water with fishes each clinging
to radios beamed on distant stars.
Night rain drowns sight under mist.
Morning brings a saucer of sunlicked milk
for the cat cowered by the dog-star.

© Gerald England

Composed: Swettenham, 20th March 1983

Publications

1989 Candelabrum (UK)
1995 Weyfarers (UK)
1998 THE RED CANDLE TREASURY (Wisbech, Red Candle Press)

Erosion

© Copyright 2006 RichTea.
EROSION

At Mappleton the road
runs right on over the edge
of the crumbling cliff which
the grey foam of a sulky, green sea
continually devours.
Remaining are outline foundations
of houses now removed
to safer places farther inland.

Much farther inland are the huge
Holderness haystacks - built
four-square and solid -
topped by thatched-type roofs
held down by building bricks.

More building bricks and concrete
form suburban Hull in whose
outer housing estates we loose
ourselves among winding drives.

The farmer ploughs his fertile land
and builds his stacks of hay
but they are not defense enough
against the nibbling encroachments
of erosion on either side
from the city and the sea.

© GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Oldham, 1st October 1976

Publications

1984 Weyfarers (UK)
1990 2nd Rapture (UK)
1992 STEALING KISSES (Hyde, New Hope International)

One View Or Another

ONE VIEW OR ANOTHER

We left the valley in sunshine
climbed steeply to the high hills
where sheep outnumbered far
the passing cars
There the rain met our ascent
with mist obscuring the views
Surrounded by mist and by moor
we were totally enclosed
in our own world
The beat of the rain
and the bleating of sheep
were alien sounds
I wanted to explain unable to show
the beauty of grass and heatherclad moorland the
  tarn shimmering in sunlight to our right
  and Penyghent rearing up in front of us
There was none of this to be seen
Enshrouded in our own world
it mattered only that we were there

© Gerald England

Composed: Sheffield, 14th July 1972

Publications

1972 FOR HER VOLUME ONE (Pontefract, Poet's Press of Osgoldcross)
1987 Weyfarers (UK)

Fire

FIRE

A fire burns
in the poet's soul

How many
on seeing the smoke
stop to warm themselves

© Gerald England

Composed: Pontefract, 1st July 1968

Publications

1968 Breakthru (UK)
1986 Weyfarers (UK)
1990 Omnific (USA)
1992 STEALING KISSES (Hyde, New Hope International)
1992 Palpi (UK)

Requiem for an Unfinished Romance

REQUIEM FOR AN UNFINISHED ROMANCE

The moon shone down upon the shore
The lights of the fishing boats were far out at sea
searching for the herring -
not so much alone upon the rocks were we,
you,
I,
us two

The wind raced up the river's mouth
Some boats were left, moored by the pier,
silhouetted against the darkening sky -
quietly loving we barely spoke,
you,
I,
us two

GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Ackworth, 3rd March 1968

Publications

1978 TOUCHSTONE (Brookeville, M.O.Publishing Co.)
1989 Weyfarers (USA)
1990 Maple Valley Vine (USA)
1990 Lucidity (USA)
1992 STEALING KISSES (Hyde, New Hope International)
2004 Soundeye (Internet)