NOT EVEN A REFLECTION

I had a sudden recollection the other day of a reading given by Brian Patten. It could have arisen because my interview with Brian is on the popular posts list. 

Memory

its a Friday evening

West Somerset

Brian is saying:

fuck you Stephen Spender

fuck you for what you visited on Stevie Smith

fuck you who remembers you now

that was years ago

and Stephen Spender

is not even a reflection

in our collective rear view mirror

A word about the people mentioned. Stevie Smith is a perennially popular poet who gave the language the phrase not waving but drowning. Stephen Spender was from a privileged background and became  communist before being knighted. If I have to choose a side then I'm with Brian. 

Here's another memory. This one is about those moments of satori when you feel at one with the whole world.

the windows looked like painted flats

so I walked outside to see what was behind them

and fleetingly I was at one with everything

I've not been writing much this past couple of weeks. I go through these periods once in a while and always tell myself you have to take in to give out. I am sure I shall be writing more soon.

Tim Smith has completed his Harp album and it is being released on 1.12.23! I can't wait, those of us who were fans of Midlake had almost given up home that he would make another album. Here's the first single.

Until next time.

THE EMPTINESS OF THE NIGHT

I occasionally wake in the night with a poem half formed in my head. I usually get out of bed and write them down but do not turn on a light in case I disturb  the household. The poem in this post came about when I was sat in the dark writing and yes I did see a man on a bicycle wobble by.

the muse calls me from my bed

to sit in the dark and write out my dream

in wide spaced words on blank white paper

its 4:30 am no car goes past outside

then wobbling in the tail end of the storm

a man weaves along the road

no lights on his bike I note

and from the way he steers

no exact idea of where to go

he executes a sudden turn right

and when I look up again

I take in the emptiness of the night

I think it works as reportage, but I am unsure of the final line [although confident enough to use it as the title of the post...]. Your guess is as good as mine as to where he was going to or coming from. 

Midlake have a new album out. Seems pleasant enough, though I've only played it twice, but I do miss their glory days with Tim Smith. 

Until next time.