Drawing by Judith Wolfe
Iain Britton

FOR ALL THE SAINTS


      Why am I singing For all the saints
      who from their labours rest
      when this
      morningıs mountains move on legs
      of hydraulic light. They move not for
      me or you but for some purging urge
      against the hills.

      A silent congregation
      of heads hang about me.

      They stare while I pretend
      to live in and out of sleep.

      What appears to be a church
      floats on the lake
      a bloke walks on water. Sinks.
      A blabbering of voices
      becomes a hymn.

      A lot of us (breaths
      like rotten eggs) are crowding in/
      around red linings of an early
      morning individually
      wrapped in mist.

      Spectators stand or sit on graves
      in mangled clothes
      eating bits of bible dried flowers
      lumps of paraoa
      some refitting clumps of hair
      and skin.

      Two silhouettes put together
      a cobber whoıs having trouble
      picking himself up.

      Iım singing
      or maybe itıs the wind
      fluting through my nostrils.

      Mars watches like a ratıs
      red eye. The sky crushes closer.
      Bones bend.

      These people don't last for long.

      They dissipate. As soon as you
      touch my shoulder.


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