Selma

The end of lovely days, honour her great freedom, a scimitar hand of fate, for the cafe's and diners, who take their nights ease, under yellow electric lights, not your village maze, these hardened streets, caught between wreaths of shame, Our lady bides her time, she knows these sweet seasons, eves with a little wine, where debts get paid, beneath cooling trees, blue air in cigar subways, no matter what they say nothing will release, love for that other place, why she crossed the sea.

Rhianna

The love you blew away, by troubles on the line, is now absolved delayed, when seasons turn pink, don’t keep emotions reined, or seek a calendar to forgive, stick with certain phrases, that stand the test of time, celebrate a life at bay, difficult questions make you think, you’ve bathed in lime, drunk at the kitchen sink, you dance the holy grail, as problems rise, dancing is not to blame, cafe's swell with drink, fancy waiters may opine, laugh the way you blink, dazzled in your crystalline.

Quinta

When she dismisses us, calls us jokers and thieves, we believe in you sister, for following a star, by leaving us the sea, caring who we are, teaching us our limits, what resides out of reach, when lovers try to pivot, she cares a lot, arms swinging free, even if we dance on cars, from the telegraph bush, or a sky that weeps, to look upon our fullness, she’ll tell the bar, as sunlight leaps, across bottles and no marks, what’s necessary to be.

Patsy

When did I start crying, was it going back to Ireland, or with my son sighing, Nana loved the horses, that first summer not flying, the ferry runs its course, or my lover saying, she can't take any more, decisions we keep delaying, a crescent summer force, we crash away the ties, that make us stand in awe, a broken path of clifftop fables, no one checks our disguise, the blue cover of her table, better than any jackdaw, our love makes us wise, in death she’s still a force, moonlight’s on our side

Odeta

Painters dream of lovers, museums are lonely places, even in silks and linen, you glide across the room, is that really your game, telling the world your gloom, from summer troubles, and different spaces, does this provide a cover, your face, a scar, a swoon, an early grave, that runs before you dissolute, it masks my wonder, a missal to your fame, one masterpiece sunken, in gas lit winter catacombs, leave your scent of trace, heaven for us to look upon, honour, shame, disgrace.

Nula

God is a breakfast test, Spring in my lover's trauma, don't I feel blessed, sailing dangerously, with her list of disorders, the troubles start with me, when I refuse to get distressed, this tremendous performance, all makes a sort of sense, howling like a banshee, her complaints grow enormous, big wind through the trees, her risen voice no contest, I try a little metaphor, before she reaches the crest, offer chocolates to see, if the kitchen jukebox roars, will everything fall on me, I grow weak, seek rest, now there is another detour, she suddenly wants to confess, acts like she isn’t born.

Marina

She sees the creep of moon, regular as the five and dime, lilac across the dunes, fish on Friday creatures, the kids who drink wine, have no use for teachers, men who want women, to enlighten their lives, someone to come soon, summer mornings at the beach, a hand that slides behind, like a twisted leech, but the ball the swimming, she’d give her life, not to cook dinner, and laughs at the cheek, that someone delights, in storms across the reach, instead of a good time.

Lara

In Spring’s wet light, the wind is black and blows, stars come out like ice, no matter how we moan, the chill is fierce and bold, it knows we're not at home, with all our wild delight, and the love to roam, absence features in all goodnights, let love stifle our groans, even on the ‘phone, it’s precious when we’re gone, if different places bring us sight, tell us when we're cold, no matter what our time, in this short credit zone, how did you not know, my name is on what’s loaned, we cannot live alone.

Kay

Have you ever thought, she interrogates my face, about the misery you’ve wrought, do you think it’s easy for me, avoiding drink's disgrace, to see what could have been, full of trouble and doubt, her Catholic eyes dilate, at some furious space without, for your part she screams, I might be some other place, a last supper shorn of dreams, an icon is on the wall, please don't hesitate she says, to cast my penance overall, a wild wind stalks the sea, she is like unleavened hate, the beat of her soliloquy, sings to me escape..

Joni

Talk like that she hisses, why don't you make a fuss, love isn't in the distance, powdered she emerges into light, an image of first resistance, a fragrance of cold tar nights, others are more insistent, they’re not part of us, ten days it’s been like this, an epiphany not yet sighted, she’s betrayed at every instant, who will return her rights, they give a final twist, different points at every thrust, she's caught within a prism, purge of contract pulled tight, no ships unfurl her bust, or poets chant on high, her dreams come to this?

Ita

Don’t tempt me with youth, leave me high on dreams, melt me lemon blue, ply your perfumes and bows, and easy ballet scenes, rather than be alone, create lovely tunes, dance dainty as a bee, smother me in yellow glue, boil away my bones, and gently tease, where I need to follow, my pink satin shoes, splay like tambourines, over blistered plastered toes, don't let me near the phone, if you’ve someone else to see, one kiss won’t quell my groans, nor visions of the sea.

Hayley

Our love of Tort, is a needling desire, an easy rush for justice, the legal spirit, like a cold fish knife, provides our morning biscuit, we would never draw, around soft midnight, the burdens we’re borne, our demons live with it, amongst candlelit signs we’re pushed to our limits, no matter what the call, a tide breaks the line, ours is an uneven chorus, we stumble unforgiven, your situation is dire, expect no remission, we’ve done what we can.

Ginny

I am sinking slowly, we are leaving from Palermo, eat linguini think about home, but haven't got the energy, she is such a generous soul, this friend of moral jeopardy, Italy’s in my bones, a five and dime alone, very different from New York, where we work unhappily, but share an equable tone, since our time on Trapani, men who want to phone, ask us where we’re going, fail to grasp our throne, the sun in train breaks free, nothing’s like being exposed, she paints her face for security, I wear yellow and groan.

Francesca

You'd gamble anything, one of us says, including your wedding ring, I wonder after kissing your lips, watching waves in the bay, the harbour alive with ships, what is it that makes you sing, salt and perfume not far away. chasing numbers with the wind, you caress your finger tips, smoke cigarettes kneel to pray, giving out as you came in, maybe you can smile, that certain image you make, hung before us in the air, a song sweetens everything, including all the nights betrayed, conceals all the little flings, take them to your grave.

Emily

Don't talk to me and pause, make this river weep and cry, we've heard your tales before, when you waved us away, she writhed inside, what you said was fake, she's your daughter, your so called interesting smile, say how you fought for her, left as a reminder, a taste, forgotten when we tried, to mail you every place, then a letter sodden in laughter, a cloudburst of your lies, Kobe, Manila, some wooden craft, in iron huts you pray, a lonely beach and sky, she’s never going to say, you gave her up for life

Diana

You whisper your love, on public telephones, your ravaged moves , an arc of grace, a lifetime, learning to moan, before flames of medium pace, gather beneath the moon, all the recognised credit zones, can’t tolerate fools, why do they so berate, fresh linen eau de cologne, even if it keeps them late, does it make you swoon, Saints like Patrick whose bones, and spirits fill these rooms, to touch your sweet face, don't lie prone, beside ill lit highways, stars aren't brightest alone.

Chrissy

Could you love me, like you think you are, this way of being, look at you I groan, do you ride shooting stars, has my plane flown, a few drinks, a glossy evening, standing at the bar, please God set me free, you’re no one's loan, a cab without a fare, are you coming home, I won’t create a scene, even if your eyes are scared, don't be afraid, it must be my tone, it’s really not that far, another winter gone, my new Caesar ?

Billy

Who will grip you now, make you drink more drink, get rid of any doubts, your eyes wide as balloons, they bounce on the brink, make Sunday night come soon, the beat of saxophone low, sunlight on the links, man the way he blows, like a Yankee schooner, with an armful of trinkets, who hasn't been lonely, your friends make a show, what are they thinking, is laughter nearly over, perhaps your new tunes, may find a chink, the voice still a wonder, whatever you may think.

Adrienne

Why don’t we go away, my lover asks me, I shudder at the lacunae, I'm sat here feeling blue, can’t you see, the thing has flown, I feel her thoughts race, not so much at infidelity, but my lack of grace, I can’t do the swoon, or sit and dream of Pliny, sick of these damn books, maybe if I have some space, let her know subtly, the sky has changed, she could be happy too, reading the Financials weekly, she’d never get confused, I’d be less crabby.

Zadie

She knows what’s around, these unbroken skies, cattle leave a naked mound, she arises from dull sleep, when others pass by, then makes her great leap, a girl from a sunny town, she promises not to lie, let anyone bring her down, she was born and weaned, and raised by signs, a kid from yellow fields, now she dances claps her hands, city lights within her sight, wears red spangly hair bands, loves this country sea to sea, never asks for reasons why, home’s a place you jump off deep, dreams sparkle in her eyes.

Xena

She makes a dawn novena, and worries about her feet, each dance is a movie scene, if she feels love, she knows it’s not so easy, but always stays in touch, every tune wears a sheen, bars are her sole conceit, singing comes from has beens, they raise their lousy bones, when morning turns green, undressing she prays alone, no one can see her, but with a depth of need, she catches morning TV, perhaps a communion shove, would make her heart beat, she pulls on her gloves, it could rescue everything.

Vi

This unholy new tax year, will be different baby no number crunching here, nothing to do us down, we ride to the city station, call the journey our own, who wants to live in fear, they’ll accept me as a lady, without wailing or tears, our faces sun kissed brown, easy love between our trading, we’ll stroll around the town, cast aside their leers, their fawning masquerading, the peace of home, recovered after crazy, we’ll retrieve those loans, it’s only a game.

Ulla

Your tunes still show, on shimmering trees, down a blue archipelago, add them to this shipwreck, on pirate seas, they hold a golden confession, leaves are still swollen, I dig in my heels, down guttering catwalks, can you see me reckon, within sight of your dreams, when you howled and begged, before sunrise alone, on bread, wine and grief, the battle for tone, a private collection, blows out before me, music’s gentle protection, that wretched story.

Tara

What keeps you from the gun, a crescent moon this Easter, a life that makes you run , an arc of scurried waves, billowed by a search to flee, little one’s you’ve saved, what do they know of fun, on their flight to the sea, you survive many tongues, by map or bottle being brave, when you fix a constant need, in a search for freedom, do you consider it done, this love of creed, it’s certainly not forbidden, except blank looks for trade, your insides scream, everything’s waylaid, in this age of apathy.

Sally

If I'm not too dreamy, I'll pray with you, step out each green evening, caress you with my groans, melt orange blue, all your yellow pheromones, with bread and stones, seek out secret venues, pick flowers in the loam, down fallen roads, they’ll say it’s not true, but you won’t let me stumble, lucky our love has grown, despite dull virtue, in times of great fortune, anoint me with your seasons, make me swoon, send me the gift of reason, calm all the rumours.

Rona

The arc of her love, splices sunlit days, shines on her leather gloves, Macy's, the Five and Dime, New York alleyways, she notes the time, gives home a shove, in a moon that says, it’s your choice Bud, black and blue evening light, is when debt gets paid, nowhere’s out of mind, beneath the sod, truth somewhere delays, the unceasing flood, will they know she’s fine, why she never complains, a cold white star sign, measures her gaze

Quieta

The arc of her love, splices sunlit days, shines on her leather gloves, Macy's, the Five and Dime, New York alleyways, she notes the time, gives home a shove, in a moon that says, it’s your choice Bud, black and blue evening light, is when debt gets paid, nowhere’s out of mind, beneath the sod, truth somewhere delays, the uncaring flood, will they know she’s fine, why she prevaricates, a cold white star sign, measures her gaze.

Pearl

Here at this window pane, the light turns green, cars fill up their lanes, each dance is a trip, except slippers on my feet, tunes don’t shake my hips, I call out your name, like a dawn novena, but nothing fits the frame, the fine pavement’s clip, struggles for a beat, no spring tide rips, blonde woodyard grains, stack up like wheat, everything’s too far away, why can’t there be, a coming home freighter, something of the sea to party this evening ?

Oaklynn

Parents fade away, sometimes without grace, don’t sit at my table, mothers without children, see their departing gaze, the waves only visit, Our Lady knows I’m great, no matter how they pray, on cold lit Sundays, my Dad is unfiltered, lost within his ways, his problems consistent, demands loans from my pay, chants without praise, never took us on holiday, a gooey existence troubled, how can we obey, let them take communion, living is my game.

Maggie

At the entrance lights and raises, a candle for drinkers and vagrants, her youngest suffers that way, in Piraeus there's a convent, behind the lip of alleyways, where the cruise ships frequent, she passes through them in a daze, to a tree lined oasis, far from that tourist game, hears maritime hooter’s advent, what do you expect anyway, sun, wine and sea beats sense, encouraged by a daughter’s praise, she knows no one’s to blame, they enjoy what they pay, she smells in momentary instant, the monastery’s sweet gaze, a loving darkness from within, she kneels to ancient names.