Sandy

Alone at the bus station, you ask for a smoke, like an injured patient, in a green coat alone, someone who goes for broke, the prodigal girl forlorn, who sweeps aside elation, like convicts fix roads, in a desire for medication, wooden benches lie spoken, its the way you joke, drinking with sad blokes, no red letters of fragrance, lost in a lipstick brawl, when bottles are partaken, dark glasses won't atone, neither will telephones home, your heart's not of stone, tossed pennies fall.

Reese

He laughs like one of us, desert doesn't frighten you, his clothes hang in ruins, we go to meet the ones, my partner faintly rues, historians who've nearly gone, the almond trees bloom, on a bright lit afternoon, against a sea that's blue, nothing here is wrong, just the yellow truth, poetry of poverty's song, he looks like someone new, his old bones of truth, shine as the oasis soothes, he asks to hold my hand, his presence overpowers, the fragrance off the sand, makes me almost swoon.

Queen

She pins a shamrock on us, if literature's our freedom, we'd fill a Terminus, like a mistress school bound, would puff out her cheeks, listened to lives ill found, on Atlantic Avenue, where the wind freezes, she made us feel useful, Brooklyn’s steamy trams, her retirement at St Stephen's, jellies, country bands, she died counting the Angelus, listening to Blues singers, joy her last impetus, we stand on cold ground, Fulton swells our cheeks, ah Jesus, our dollars homeward bound, the bridge a moving season.

Phoebe

Your wind blown kisses, reach a maritime shingle, circle around the Ithmus, crossing the Atlantic, they dance and tingle, turn blue waves frantic, to escape from crisis, where crowds might mingle, sea birds wing sunlight, you skip in your antics, lips pursed and jingled, sea roses shine static, bourne of resistance, a resplendent canticle, pray safety his ship, it's worth being stoic, not remaining single, in shipping lane traffic, wearing his ring.

Oona

She wakes in golden belief, like yellow on a Holsum van, wonders about a novena, each dance is a clone, moves her as no one can, every tune shakes her bones, in sourball colour seasons, the bars are full of men, she drinks within reason, they rise to enfold her, she graces it with elan, green evenings grow colder, barefoot pays minimum heating, its better than having plans, her cabin makes it easier, if communion weighs a ton, between rich and poor man, justice is always done, breaks whatever mould.

Natalie

My weekend sings, des cigarettes une espresso, don't care no one rings, the silent have their views, dejeuner avec Lavazzo , have no time to brood, not for me the sea, Martini, Amaretto, my balcony swept free, spare me consumptive news, a lunchtime Prosecco, vitiates my beach room, let them all scream, pasta, wine al viejo, I'm my best Sunday dream, think of a serene cruise, an evening's stroll, along my private avenue, Sabbath's best alone.

Maira

Is my time gone unspoken, not drunk enough to cry, afraid this family's broken, our place shuttered and boarded, beyond tomorrow's why, love around here is frozen, bridges where we stand soaking, beyond any heaven’s sigh, can't mend with arms folded, fresh horizons flit encoded, guitar strings at night, play a tune to show them, feels like we've been sold, being brave's only to try, beat away this summer’s cold, to rescue us or coax, say a prayer to the sky, not just some little token, more a sense of pride.