30 December 2008

Some Minor Poems



A New Icebox




Now I can begin again –
bulk out my sweaters
trash this ‘perfect figure for a girl’
gain stamina in my arms and legs
with regular lengths
take lessons
break midnight curfew
even hold my drink.





What She Had Before Her




As she drifted
in and out of sleep she teased
a white door with her foot. The tide
came in from the left, which
was ridiculous. This white door
that couldn’t have been so close, would
have stood smack in the middle
of thin air, of the room, should
it exist.





A House He's Building




letting everybody know he's getting better.
On his web-cam I imagine
I see a chair swivel,
burden lift. My plan
to bring the children to France
is agreed by the school.
My 10-year old cousin tells me the helicopter
he steers by remote control flies
better outside, because the air is cold.





Custom-made




They fitted the bike to him properly:
saddle-height, perfect cables,
cam-shafts, drop.

Set his bike up
so if he does hill-work
he knows full well it will help him.

He won’t struggle to get out the saddle.
He is rolling
to get going.

28 December 2008

Dream 23/12/08



At table. People with guitars about to play a song in turn. I sit in on the promise I might play later. I'm not too fussed. K. Bush urges us to listen, heads out of sight behind a piano. Our host puts on a little of her first album to prepare us.

After interval I am sat with father. There is not much space for something or other. Vicka says with a friendly laugh 'It's okay, Matt's a winner (wiener) anyway.' I slip upstairs but don't have my hotel door key. I hide under some schooldesks as I know Vicka is following me.

On return, a kid follows his mum. The mum is fatigued, the kid is trying. In a cramped grocery store, a kid calculates erroneously the cost of 20 kitchen towels. I wait behind him, get to the towels and there's nothing there. I should have made the calculation earlier.

23 December 2008

Some time to write up some old stuff:

Dream



The oppressed are our keepers
twisting a tennis ball on a traject
torqued like a tap jet.

The dog, a boxer, runs -
past the fallen ball. And I daren't
dismount this wall, shoulder
to these front school gates. Camilla,
I want to say, Camilla, can
you pass this ball back up to me?


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Why d'you Sing Hallelujah?


At a Christmas when 'Hallelujah' is number one and two in the charts, here's a really good reference to it by Damien Rice (didn't like his appearance on Jools Holland a year or so ago, but am warming to his first album 'O' now.)

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The Fall, York Duchess, 13/11/08


What a gig applaud.gif

I didn't realise I enjoyed it quite this much:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32399943@N05/3029207373/

Calvin Party worked really hard - a little Pixies, Velvets, Human League in places even. I feared The Fall might have trouble blowing them away, which is ridiculous in retrospect.

Opening track proper 'Fall Sound' went on a little too long without variation, but after that I don't have a single complaint. Once we got to 'Wings' the evening didn't look back. 'Carry Bag Man' was surprisingly excellent, possessing a different structure to most of the set - a wash of guitar with bass runs over the top. I loved 'I've Been Duped', and 'White Lightning' was hugely enjoyable. Glad to be in a mosh pit again and to have a can of beer in my hand at a gig. I haven't been getting out enough.


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Tender Is The Night review