Orestes

When you waved ta ra, rendered me insouciant, i died beneath that star, what you said was rotten, your love of ports and rivers, from my lonely bastion, huge beaches from the car, your stories all delivered, bottles, tidal wood,tar, and your string of losses, between madness and my fever, left as reminder, a cross, forget who won our war, a tale remembered, stories from the bell jar, don't disturb me at bars, or say love’s your ember, you'll never travel far, somewhere you'll go under. still waters run here, even to seduce her, wiser than your Da or Ma, kissing your finger tips, wearing a Wonderbra, tunes rolling off your lips, they say nothing's that far, breathe a little prayer,

Odessa

Ride horses to mountain crests, my lover chides, dance again like the rest, an altar to the moon, is that wise, can you be so soon, my heart breaks in my breast, i want to tell her why. fools are not the eldest, break free of lonely tunes, feel my spirits fly, kids are not the ruin, all my love isn't less, than some innocent lie, told at Saint Clemence's, sail to the inventive West, eyes blazing wide, our darkened sea is blessed, my worries on the tide.

Nancy

Do your sleepless nights mock, the sheets you sleep by, white face, red bed socks, ones my Nana use to pummel, then hang out to dry, startled by my song, wine bought at crowded docks, cigarettes and ties, women to kiss like men rot, manifestos to right wrongs, stretched across a crowded sky, a wish to belong, streets where darkness throngs, are you happy here or try, to have me strong, near water or by rocks, crying by hurling night, my Ma watches the clock, waiting for the knock, you hold the blazing light, a whole world to unlock, your face an icon.

Nadia

Who forgets generous acts, or stands by an unlit lamp, drawing fire, reading facts, those who bear the cost, left waiting on the strand, measured with the lost, does your family's big attack, make you suffer, light candles, raise a statue, a child at last, give money on the trot, or childless again and cramped, draw salt at your loss, decant you with sacks, sink in a Catholic swamp, drink, bless and let you smack, at walls or CD racks, spit saliva on their hands, you'll surely have another crack, summon you to dance ?

Namita

Smoking a cigarette i exhale, shrunken on my mind, a lover's face contained, can anyone condone, that unforgiving light, the way she's alone, haunted, proud, untamed, no longer hailing the sky, i met her in Holloway, she knew certain homes, when it's wiser to lie, and safer not to know, swapped mobile phones, for the breathing rain, her eyes like the cold, seeking love's remains, i beat out my time, from unwanted pain, she was kind.

Nara

Do you fake each line, you'd gamble anything, to give one good sign, your lover moans, all your could have been's, have ended with drones, it's really sublime, to include me in your dreams, dancing your time, arrangements to outline, do you think it’s been easy, living your lies, some image you've honed, when the calendar screams, who will tend your bones, breathing gently on your wine, chasing numbers with the breeze, you need more than design, to set you free.

Norma

A sunny life is not for everyone, waves kiss the palm trees, don't be down she's gone, i look around the sand, her brown and lovely feet, to leave just like that, a tiger slips by alone, a leopard sits in a Baobob tree, and eyes the foals, an old trail frames her stand, silver and mules of a salary, i cross an empty land, why be bothered, others need their ease, happy people don't write novels, the beach around me reels. they see me ply, under moonshine's sprawl, bitter fruit by line, feeling drawn.