Jane

You always think of Spain, she interrogates my face, about our separation, it's not easy for me, avoiding drink's embrace, to what might have been, full of trouble my migraines, her catholic eyes dilate, like some furious weather vane, on my part, she agrees, you inhabit some other place, my upstairs room a dream, icon to her blessed reign, 'Oh please don't hesitate, with your tired refrains', she says with unleavened grace, her beaten words create, a wind down the highway, it whispers escape.

Justine

Talk like that she maintains, and you'll make me kill, there won't be a refrain, powdered lightly skin toned, no shadow of light resists, fragranced by cold tar soap, she doesn't insist or feign, twelve days the question twists, epiphany go mad or remain, betrayers by her every 'fone, worst of all the Sisters, smiling like dogs with bones, a courtesan who catches trains, her suburban life a whip, leaves will block the drains, ships can't unfurl sail, nor poets chant their lists, until her storm abates, she worries about the kids.

Juna

It doesn't soothe me, the wind or the time, the lime and cypress trees, Medical Centre beyond the ships, a metropolitan light, whispers, forget her lips, i drink red sherry, lousy by stumbled night, against the blue infirmary, a young woman gets lifted, by her brute of a Dyke, into a paramedics grip, her drift into Casualty, breathes a gentle whine, how can this be, music's broken symphony, a future on the line, who cares to give testimony, or love without why?

Ita

Why hurt me with your truth, don't leave me with your schemes, or melt me lemon crude, with your bows and parlay, and easy ballet scenes, would you run a silver train, across my lips of wasted tunes, dance feather like as a bee, quarry me pink cheap perfume, bring me home again, and tastefully ease, my hands towards the flame, with your shiny satin shoes, splayed like tambourines, make me sing the blues, once more won't kill you, if taken to my knees, listen to my hips of glue, fire my extremes.

Indiana

Smoking a cigarette i exhale, a lover's old face comes near, uplifted on a nail, geese wheel the sky, haunt the clouds like deer, i knew her passing by, yellow wrap around her frame, she came this way for years, ice and blue her name, colours of no reason why, can anyone steer clear, that unforgiving dye, absorbed by a forgotten name, it's never easy to adhere, what we think of again, a woman who always gave, blew flames around my fears, shared jokes heard the train, then disappeared.

Idaho

You give a smile at Faro, the beam bounces in our room, salt from last night’s tide comb, when you rise from the covers, face a relic of alternate gloom, are you solace or a lover, useless at catching the tone, a matted highway of warm refuge, you reveal all your bones, for dreaming you wonder, on some road you’d rather lose, or like me see plundered, love you gave to lonely souls, carpet salesmen consumed, beneath your weave of rose, the sea crashes all alone, a disco for your retinue, green and gold like the foam, explosion of your perfume.

Irena

I was sinking slowly, we are leaving there again. drink wine think about going, but i haven't got the energy, she makes such generous claims, this friend who gently, arranged her Da to give me, a five and dime dollar home, somewhere near the sea, where she works happily, and rides on bycycle lanes, living an easier life, men who want to touch her glow, reel when they see the pain, dance on lonely bones, nothing is like being alone, with a lover uncontained, she paints her face and groans, i sit and watch the rain.