"this is sixth form poetry, not Keats or Yeats"
Ancient submerged volcanoes Rise up from the ocean floor, Their tips littering the landscape As tremendous shadows of the past Cast a barely visible film of filth Across this false Pacific paradise. Where Spanish conquistadors Once prowled the dunes, Scintillators now sweep across the sands, Combing beaches for dirty treasures That can no longer lie … Read more
You sleep beneath a throbbing blanket, A whining drone that cuts through the night Like a monotonous call to prayer; Serrated sounds that test the edges Of your chemically-reinforced cocoon. Draped in treated fabric you drift restlessly; Your dreams a kaleidoscope of apprehensions, Where walls run red with shattered husks, Their swollen bellies gorged on … Read more
A sharp aroma seeps across the sky, You scurry to its source; Working quickly to carefully craft A sustaining sphere of pungent spice. With cargo now in tow you Castoff across this barren sea In direction unknown, Until looking up You catch your breath And ride the Milky Way; Stars lit up like cat’s eyes … Read more
From buried cracks And open wounds Shrouded scales Begin to seep. Cutting across murky waters Into buried memories And forgotten half-truths, Inky fingerprints Preserve their presence Alongside court proceedings And local weather reports. Over time these sightings Are recalled as prophecies; Portents of the restless Earth That slyly secrete themselves As cherished traditions. Curious … Read more
Your barren canvas stretches Tightly across forgotten states; Caught between unforgiving waves And starry mountain peaks, Your pulse beats unhurriedly In this hibernation of solitude. Permafrost litters your landscape: Continuous, Discontinuous, Sporadic. Its frozen core A hard border to Fertile soils and Future disturbance. But as the ice begins to melt These borders shift; … Read more
Hidden behind the fragility Of a sub-Antarctic archipelago, A speck of shamrock shimmers On a sea of turquoise. Exploding into life this fleck Becomes a floating forest; Vacuous blues graffitied with Organic, dancing tones of green. Rising white beacons of sediment Carried on clandestine currents, Breathing new life into This aquatic wasteland. … Read more
Breathe in. Your crown of precious hues Glimmers in the setting sun; A steadfast declaration that Your appearance will not be Ordained by the passing of time. Breathe out. Sunbeams dance mischievously Across your jaded fingers, Casting reverse shadows That shimmer invisibly Across a living canopy. Breathe in. Every mouthful an aftertaste Of chimneys, jet … Read more
Sea air shimmers in the evening haze; The gentle rays from a setting sun Reflect the remnants of the passing storm, Cascading skywards in prismic hues to Dry the feathers of the Eastern Meadowlarks That drowsily skim the ocean’s skin. Beneath translucent, foaming waves Shapes begin to dance, unseen; Their shrill stripes intertwined With shadows … Read more
At the far edges of the world, Hidden deep amongst the Raging seas and rising waves Laze a series of secret atolls and coral coves; Remote islands that are almost entirely Untouched by human hands. Untouched by human hands, But maimed by the detritus that those hands have wrought. As coffee lids and toothbrushes Bathe … Read more
This poem is inspired by recent research, which has found that substituting refined carbohydrates with fresh avocados can significantly suppress hunger in overweight and obese adults. When it comes to managing appetite, there is clearly no ‘one size fits all’ solution. However, understanding the relationship between food and different populations can reveal opportunities for reducing … Read more