Cresta

Was it worth the fire and pain, the beam bouncing in our room, smell of salt from last night’s grain, when now the kitchen grieves, your face a relic in alternate gloom, is it solace or wreck beside me, useless as a lighthouse in shade, malted sightings or warm perfume, you bring tea on a tray, you said I was scheming, on the road you’d wave a plume, to those you did not wish to see, love you gave to rolling trains, carpet salesmen, seamen consumed, beneath the song of elation, shadows dim corners of this dream, a disco ball glows your costume, dance the way you did on Crete, let the holy Ocean bloom.

Bianca

In the yellow light of June, night is blue and flows, stars polished like jewels, no matter what we fling, the wind is fierce and bold, it knows our little dreams, what's wrong with the moon, and loving to roam, it makes our features bloom, like luck or a thing, when we’re on the ‘phone, that’s a place to sing, there’s always space for news, to tell us if we're cold, riding down this avenue, in days gone of Spring, how did you know, my name was on this ring, never a time to be alone.

Ann Marie

My bus weaves a ragged run, tied to a third interregnum, now please leave me alone, don’t pity us poor joes, life didn’t pass a magnum,, a river won’t wash our bones, anyone can pull a con, even just a simulacrum, to find one golden certitude, an even break for those, who sing to life C’mon, but don’t have fancy clothes, they call these oceans God, but dance like poorhouse bums, when they want or slump, it’s for young ones gone, such silence waves forlorn, here I am staying mum, walking down the road..

Zoey

Here's a wish for you, who do you think comes first, with all the stuff you do, wish I’d never been born, ask if you ever thirst, when summer ends forlorn, a canticle, the sea is blue, you haven’t time for mirth, to know when home is due, in a book or on the 'phone you pick a trail well versed, to know you’ll be alone, will you arrange another cruise, to make me worse, riding in your Subaru, places where all debt is gone, stars and sails converse, their reach beyond the sun, Hombre beware.

Yara

Love is a breakfast test, in this summer, of trauma, don't I feel blessed, sailing dangerously, with a would be Cassanova, all his troubles start with me, they roll around my head, this tremendous performance, the metaphorical duplicity he sheds, howling like a banshee, his complaints grow enormous, I bend like the breeze, the radio roars its manifest, everything inside me falls, goes weak, seeks wine at 8 am, shocking that he's never at ease, a boat rocking in a storm, I try to calm the sea , call upon the holy ghost.

Zanna

Who do you want to suffer more, me or your blessed mother, outside the opera in Baltimore, from a perfect sunny evening, the kids looked after by others, all your money on Diva's, scaling down knowing the score, in a life between the covers, who do you think you are, certainly wiser than me, in your cotton suited summer, Ray Bans on the seat, sunlight on the terrace floor, music offers you a lover, everything inside is stored, you drink a long Campari, the dusk’s a dark red colour, an Atlantic bay like Brittany, have you reached the bottom ?

Xantara

Give me children and dogs, you be what you are, lost in a hazy fog, help me realise, what's gone on so far, with someone unwise, is this what you want, waiting by the river Alt, a tidal rose in your car, west of these broken skies, the sea is like a scar, south of me sideways, you say you walk a lot, all my fires are marked, will you reach that far, or can your love suffice, assign me what I want, little ones would be nice, beneath astonished stars.

Whitney

Singers dream of home, Arenas are lonely places, even wearing cotton, we glide across the night, that really is our fame, how the world seems bright, heaven to look upon, the scent of our grace, we shine like polished stones, from summer nights, or gas fired winter cafe's, how different is our flight, that path ahead unknown, carried on buttered waves, to wash our fierce aplomb, waiters glow in fairy lights, carry cognac to our table, orange gold in artifice, through a mirrored pane.

Valery

Give us dancing jewels, let me smile through tears, we shall waltz with fools, under cold white stars, golden gowns allay our fears, can't believe this farce, dreams of faraway moons, citizens brought near, raise other hopeless tunes, smile and make a start, remember ached for years, when nothing here was false, turn the heads raise a spoon, we will have no fear, how the years are cruel, shorter gait and fuller parts, this perfume costs us dear, believe me these old tarts, our Tiaras howling cheer.

Ullyses

You wish to hear success, take me for your needs, spit saliva on my battledress, oh the cabal of my name, childless again and free, do you listen to my shame, sobbing with duress, the power in your seed, behind each caress, my face travels the lanes, of a wine dark sea, a woman streaming again, you drink to the West , but know how to steal, love from this this Goddess, bewitched by my fame, you will ring my feet, see me in flames, sail more than your fleet.

Therese

A crescent summer, gone is the Spring, that makes us all winners, fear checks our paradise, a crimson path to knowing, the love of people wise, better than any bummer, winter’s now a past thing, moonlight shows its glimmer, when did I start crying, was it going back to sing, or my son started flying, Nana loved us coming, that first awakening, a man who wanted love, another one saying, don’t cling baby cling, my time to keep praying.

Suzy

When you scold us, call us robbers and rogues, we thank Mount Olympus, you are leaving this scene, let oceans wash your bones, cap every season, we have had enough fuss, more than any antidote, your kisses comes to this, we won’t care about pity, arms hanging forlorn, screeching like parakeets, the dread shrouds of locusts, where the sky is broken, your raging insistence, makes light of our freedom, shrill voice discordant, we’ll make flowers sing, we are people of destiny.

Reeve

In the bucolic rooms, proclaimed by the sea, let me dispel the gloom, common trees or blasted bark, the bones of Saint Anthony, explode in splintered sparks, the dawn brings early tribune, a tiny gift at the infirmary, to fill our empty spoons, Doctors are very smart, even when not so easy, love lifts our battered hearts, will our baby come soon, like a summer breeze, sail a bright sailed schooner, joy at whistles and booms, on St Christopher’s quay, we possess a great fortune, such serendipity.

Quiona

Love we nearly threw away, you absolved and allayed, sunk troubles in the Bay, when the skies turn pink, you kept us reined, to calendars and catechism, away from teenage forays, lapping at our name, helped us on our way, answered difficult instincts, many have heard such tales, full of rouge and lipstick, and you took the blame, howled like a blowing gale, when problems raged, we give thanks the way you think, watch cafe's swell with rain, unshaven waiters at the sink, eye our celebration.

Phoebe

The turn of lovely days, rouge her high cheek bones, a scimitar of alluring ways, the cafe's and the diners, shake out yesterday’s clothes, seek solace in others blindness, this is not to say, except inside her yellow home, she would tolerate a parade, where usual debts are paid, in cool bath robes, blue for the evening trade, our lady makes her case, wherever a light is shone, at fate that always strays, no matter if there's wine, no river can ever hold, the strength of someone wise, give to them who glow.

Olivia

Here's the question why, on the house phone, behind a wired facade, you shed uncertain whispers, a hushed magenta tone, light yet sorely twisted, the reasons your like this, flush within my core, like rain across the isthmus, the colours of the Argentine, you say you've been honed, to numb away the pain, then a lovers' face again, no one really gets over, a desolate time in jail, blue to your bones, you spell out certain names, blow smoke off a cigarette, offer up a moan.

Nancy

Strained to my bones, I struggle to explain, heart like a thunder zone, the turning wheel bus ticket, blown away by the rain, I leave lying helpless, laugh at why I’ve come, play the useless games, small wonder in this home, the foray of my visits, putting yesterday's blame, on methylated spirits, you bite on a ham bone, a ribbon of it escapes, ask to be left alone, the sea whipped Atlantic, a tornado for your rage, incarcerated are your lips, can you see it my way ?

Margarite

Don't worry if someone slips, this house of the spirit, an Ocean gale on your lips, let them engage me, take me to my limit, revive that twisted energy, tell it like it is , turn my bones to relics, those who know my kiss, escape with flags of prey, find love at every instant, make decisions under tyranny, a gap of middle distance, where thirst lies unhindered, rejoicing not yet finished, spent in minutes all your fleet, my dress that you unzip, , guided by moon’s effigy, you shall sail my ship.

Lulu

A sunny life is not for everyone, waves don’t always kiss palm trees, she isn’t that far gone, kids play on the sand, see her brown and lovely feet, to leave just like that, in lemon stripes at the pool, courted by a tender breeze, eyes like harvest moons, flame trails her headband, silver slippers from Seymour Street, she caresses mountains, and from a tiny back room, by a museums of the Beats, drinks whisky and misses June, when I take her hand, she is full of release, a perfumed contraband, just enough to kill me.

Kathy

Clattered steps in the evening, your steps echoing to a beat, bowing to an Atlantic breeze, other times a struggled moan, before a fretful swollen sea, a drumming racket all along, a wish, more than any dream, how different is my memory, I mean, does it trick me, with the smell of ozone, arriving from the Hebrides, laughter singing in every bone, our name is a scream, above a front door gently, what do you really believe, like an arriving boat, no one needs, your slouch towards home, a broken wheel.

Jamala

What's wrong with dreaming, and loving the sea, absent seasons, like luck or a number, dull anyone’s features, when love is a wonder, that's a good reason, for this time to seize, don't stand there bleeding, be hard on the cumber, thank the Redeemer, we can all fake plunder, bring a gentle ease, kick out in the thunder, if everyone’s free, the sun might shine longer, waves stay out of trouble, dance every double, even the Conga.

Iona

I'm sat here thinking, shuddering what I'd taught, this is not me, my lover is asking, what low life are chancers, I see her running to the sea, dancing on thorns, reading up on infamy, Oh it's useless I gasp, and twist on horns, what are the coming tasks, someone else’s here and free, struggling to be born, she grasps for my sympathy, could I work a pass, sitting shyly on a wall, waiting for the crash, wishing I were gone.

Hope

What separates us from our best, does a sail makes us thrill, fly to water change address, a raging thirst, a map, papers, are we shrill, putting others first, dancing waves to caress, a starlit sky or utility bill, to fix our battered compass, stay our eyes beyond the curse, check on each daily drill, as our insides burst, locate the inventive West, let us pray we reach until, we can pass the test, sent back if not shirked, devoured by men or sin, flame or water re-imbursed, hunger fills this ship.

Guia

How do I do this scene, looking fierce on vodka, as if it will protect me, my greatest days contained, I loosen first my collar, sit side on restrained, off my face with anxiety, my lip stick down a sofa, eyes looking furtively, this place is like a train, a glorious hell stop cellar, I need to get away, like a gift from the sea, she brings me first Bollinger, is gentle as the breeze, doesn't mess with trade, hasn’t a sou to piss on, talks of foreign holidays, laughter sings like dollars.

Flo

Don’t know what to say, look at the stormy sea, wonder if there’s anyway, she talks of good news, what it means to be, away from that prison crew, coughing at the subway, taking care now, walking free, leaving that cramped space, measures by wine what’s true, is it just cruel enmity, love plays a lonely fugue, in circumstances here on holiday, a toil of waters at ease, she finds time to hesitate, I'd live down a sewer, a volcano fault line tells me, just to be with you, the waves are unreal.

Diane

What we were feeling, can never be undone, left us reeling , when you waltzed off alone, left us gone, where else but from home, freedom is a sense of being, unlike with us little ones, given away screaming, our shrunken tiny bones, in rooms that were no fun, who couldn't pray to God, but listened on their knees, to voices calling from above, if he heard our keening, now look how we’ve grown, our path shining come, varnish brightens our toes, we’ll dance again soon.

Estelle

Our ship bevels wide, we hear the women choristers, bring darkness to green light, implore us hear their song, sung like Mass the Matumba, prise apart dissolves our bones, twists each translucent guise, into scented candles, our belfries ring the night, this tiny lamp of boat, a heaving shard of romance, we wrestle among the ropes, with all we'd like, when we hail the dancers, holding arms and smoky wise, will they turn us to stone, bring tears to our eyes, watch us come and go, delay us with the tide?