U

Clouds unfurl across the sky, death brings no easy due, even when you die, who cares what’s fake, the other stuff around you, burns forever in the grate, something deep inside, not just an ordinary buroo, makes me want to fly, these barriers I raise, not to look a fool, always make me hesitate, however much you sigh, and I act like a goon, my spirit’s always high, only when you castigate, something about this room, that you smile and say, you knew.

Tommy

Like a tramp ship at sea, I swear to the night, you won’t hear from me, you are a buzz saw, spinning great lies, hanging off my cabin door, your lost fidelity, between moon and sky, shines like a painting, from the earth's poor, my terrible why, rises from the ocean floor, you’ll see me in weeds, my lips blue tight, then you’ll be free, Here on the shore, I’ll do what's right, there’ll be no furore, look into my eyes.

Rita

Can anyone seriously, believe this creature in a jar, rescued from the sea, like something in a frame, has a different mark, something you can't name, one that looks and seems, when distant bells afar, call up childhood dreams, maybe a different age, keeps you like a postcard makes it all feel strange, nothing fills your need, within this milky fog, even when you kick, dancing in the waves, unhearing crass remarks, stuff that's almost wreckage, all the stuff you’re not.

Queen

A cross for a sign, to where we sing songs, she gives out a sigh, there’s a deal at Primark, she pulls me along, takes hold of my arm, talks about why, when hurrying along, she turns to crime, hair like a jump start, she needs to stay strong, no one takes her part, we head up the front aisle, take what we can, make dust in plain sight, never easy alarmed, her life is a clock, tied to wandering stars, says that she’s wise, but feels wrong, the stitch in her side, asks me to calm.

Pilar

You have the spark, her lovely face tight, just need to stay strong, no more chasing the mud, most of your nights, focus on what's aboce, in a supermarket car park, they ask you why, you hang around bars, says we all need a crust, this trolley suits her fine, no place for doubles, she never walks far, to gossip is a crime, each step’s another mark, you can work without gloves, unlike other times, when hard being good, there's never a chart, to show us what's right, she’ll bask like a shark, wait for the light.

Othello

On the Autumn tide, I see the poor, huddled in line, it's cold for the season, sons and daughters, share one pitiful reason, on the starboard side, the missing are nought, don't need an inquiry, they shiver in the lee, the ship has left port, they’re sick of being, worry about time, being caught, in some populist drive, what it teaches, is to buttress the law, accept no guilty plea, weather the storm.

Larry

I stand by what I said, where praise be, words are better off dead, my eyes roll like thunder, wine dark like the sea, it makes me shudder, from a blue dread, stripped down like a tree, I’ve nothing more to give, here and there a cluster, poplars blow in the breeze, it doesn't pass muster, my voice has nothing left, too late for the season, geese fly overhead, her face is the wonder, happy laughing clean, that I tore asunder, it's quiet by this shed, my place of need, I’ll take here some rest, left open for me.