Jana

2008 wasn't finished with me, not after that screening, my partner Sandra G, the photographer of breasts, unashamed melanoma dreams, is up for a festival, what should have been, dazzling different by the sea, has to fit her chemotherapy, howling down the 'phone, raging in midstream, she shouts through her bones, poets don't die intestate, swept away like leaves, sometimes they dance and stay, she still dances on knowing how i feel, still the only one, laughing at the seams.

Jolee

Smoking a cigarette, a lover's old face appears, fulsome not lonely yet, geese rise and sail, haunt the sky like deer, i knew her in jail, a snow blanket around me, she always cheered, ice blue as the sea, colours of the Argentine, not anyone could go near, where she had been, absorb the certain dread, that brought her here, a place safe to tread, a woman who loved, blew flame across fear, shared jokes in the dust, then disappeared.

Jayleen

We stand by unlit lamps, a tree, a bridge, shaking, waiting like tramps, for kindness to share, red lips white faced, cigarettes without care, listening to that song, wine sipped and champagne, who needs to belong, the cleave of crowded bars, cargo ships and freighters, rooms with dark marks, we can be happy here, watching the rain, tack down the naked café’ you would not hear me, say straighten out our game, ask how much we pay, shuffle what remains.

Idell

What if the stars are great, my daughter slowly fades, lonely and in pain, doesn't matter what drugs she takes, the walls are still grey, in her cell she hesitates, listens to the clock, on yellow wing what’s to say, her phone is still blocked, her kids have done screaming, confined within their days, lilac as the evening, they see the creep of moon, watch time roll away, I’ve seen them happy, laugh on school mornings, since she’s been away, but they visit 5 and eight, and each night pray.

Illustria

Here's something for you, if you think you come first, with all your places to go, you’re not enough born, to rage against thirst, when summer gets torn, the sea still surrounds you, have you time for mirth, home’s not a clue, by book or by 'phone, your trail well versed, to know you'll be going, will you try this evening, drive away swearing, pass a naked cafe' to where all debt is burst, salt and stars like glue, blown in the easy air your eyes dead blue.

Isabella

In days of autumn fire, night rides black and cold, stars come out like ice, no matter what we sing, the wind is fierce and bold, it knows which bells to ring, the love of dreaming, if we're not at home, a flame across the sea, our love calls frequently, on mobile ‘phones, no lack of scheming, absence replaces fear, tells us we're not alone, no matter what we think, in the yellow evening, you appear atoned, a name for everything, written on a board.

Irene

Who do you want to suffer more me or your blessed lover outside the cafe' Du Coursse it’s a perfect sunny evening kids looked after by mothers is your love done by keeping as if you know better in life between the covers to get rid of evidence you think you’re clever wiser than the others in the cotton jet set Ray Bans on the terrace September withers another burning furnace drink whisky with a soda evening's sour ball colour a breeze comes from somewhere will you close the shutters