Portsmouth – Southsea

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after
studying in the library

the square was
wet

and mauve
the side of the church

and alongside
the main road

the black white and red
cars returning home

 

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        between the moon
        and the church
        floats a block of flats

        and in the square
        Queen Victoria by the
        offices in the evening

        light
        green
        mist

 

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                                     with delight
                the child walked along
                the wall at his
                mother’s shoulder

                behind me they continued,
                “mu-uummm…”

 

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                                             the moon

                                the clouds have
                                covered it now;
                                in my baggy
                                trousers I realise

                                I write better poems
                                than before I
                                was married

 

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                                              turning into
                                              the high street

                                              the moon glided
                                              over the streetlamps

                                              and in the opposite
                                              side street

                                              red car lights
                                              flashed quietly

 

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                       left now
                       the moon
                       retreats backwards along
                       the street
                       distracted

                       from the newsagent
                       the smiling Chinese face
                       of an old friend who is

                       still young

 

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                                                                 turning right
                                                                 the moon
                                                                 appeared from a window
                                                                 above the supermarket

                                                                 making for the flagpole

                                                                 six o’clock

 

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