Eye to Eye
Pressed against plate glass,
His golden eye inches from mine
In unnatural proximity,
We share a level gaze,
But shamed I have to turn away,
My loose look taunting
His imitation leopard-skin life.
– Rosalind Flatman
Easter, 2018
He was a bit of a lad, really,
right to the end
his skin a gallery
of indigo against the sheets
monitored fingers
still loving and hating
instinct made him
grapple for each breath
head dropping
towards his collar bone
he looked but there could be
no safe return to us
waiting on the hillside
guilty for what we hadn’t done.
– Catherine Skipper
I ranted to the moon
and stars hear my voice
it’s not too far
from here to there
so let me plead my case
to the fool who lives
in the sky
I have no reason
to live a lie
please keep me safe
or let me fly
– Adrian Spry
Words are like birds
Feathers stuck in my throat
My heart is a free bird
Escaped from its cage for a while
The key was there all along
Just had to loosen my tongue
– Robyn Concannon