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They Are Closing The Stations With Beautiful Names

Author: 
Claire Lockwood

Even now, and now again, I have it

in mind. Such care to prepare

you little thin things.

 

I would not have you suffer

gristle. One chew, two,

then swallow. Precious little

 

time remains waiting for something

better to come along. It cannot

help but impress and it will like

 

sudden concrete. The ice

cream van arrives. It

jingles. So very neat

 

conclusions are envisaged.

Just enjoy the little

things. The stumble-down

 

rickety fire-escape leant

against rickety house leant

against the pink

 

sky. Its black shambles.

I have it now –

now you see it

 

wrecking the horizon.

The ground beneath

its feet may never move

 

again. It is petrified

by the thought.

Such just cause

 

to hurry about. Skip

steps. Fervent on bambi-legs.

Each small fall calls out:

 

‘Action must be taken!’

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From The Poetry Review Vol 94 No 1 (Spring 2004)

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