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.