Dream Poem 9: Birds
Through Water
Dad was there
We were at the dinner
table
He was shouting
he had dementia
“You forget stuff-
you always forget stuff”
I always back down,
well not this time
I let him have it
And ran upstairs.
We are in a row of
terraced houses.
When I get up to the fourth
floor, I see that all the houses are connected
making a long passageway
under the eaves,
lit in blue reflected
light as if from snow or water.
Abandoned
Abject and forgotten,
rotting and decayed
I run down the length
of the passage way, it is empty and deserted
The roof has fallen-in
in several places and through it
I can see the Lapis firmament
pricked with stars.
Under each breach,
Pools of azurite water
have formed, reflecting the vault of Heaven.
Flocks of birds are flying
through water – dipping beneath the surface
and rising into the
roof-space.
Dripping.
Pearls of liquid beading,
building and bleeding
to the bare attic
planks
forming Pollock
patterns under their wing gestures.
Speeding, speaking to
each other
I stand awe struck
and silent
As they pass in
concert, sloping through a puncture wound in the plaster.
After
Dad came upstairs
Kind of apologised
I was really angry
And aggressively pushed
past him to go downstairs.
Regretted it
immediately,
turned on the top
stair.
But he was gone
The houses were on
fire.
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