Frances-Ann Norton: Poetry

Dream Poem 93: Ice Grey Spray of silvery sea water Numb cold, blue cold Smashing against a towering cliff of grey granite Immediately it touches land the water is turned to ice. High, high up, the brine is frozen into stalagmites of gleaming pewter grey Instant freeze, towering cliffs. Incrusted like wax from a guttering candle layers of frozen water, Icy concretion by wave after relentless wave of  bitter cold deep.

All the Way to Rotterdam Twilight over the sea An inky graphite blue And above the moon Behind a cloud Split like a slashed doublet Spilling silver satin Down to the sea A patch of blue black Black blue We move silently past Peering from our port-hole How good it is to be to have them here No fog tonight, unlike the Orkney crossing Just the silver dollar moon And a strong south easterly wind All the way to Rotterdam.

Dream Poem 83: Large Animals like Sharks At sea I have asked all the passengers and students what they want. Myself and a student are in the sea swimming Far out to sea. Under the surface of the sea Are large animals Like sharks and whales and octopi. But I don’t have time for them I Just keep swimming.