(k41)

walking to the vets
she stops at every tree and bush
there is no walk home

© Gerald England



Composed: Hyde, 18th April 2002

Publications

2002 New Hope International (Internet)
2008 Ackworth born, gone West (Internet)

Stargazing in New Zealand

STARGAZING IN NEW ZEALAND

Collected in a transit van
the Japanese astronomer
takes us out of the village
and across two rutted fields
to his tiny observatory.

It is a clear, cold evening;
the heavens are looking beautiful;
we are shown the stars
as they appear before our naked eyes.

He points out the constellations
and the planets, Jupiter and Saturn;
deep inside the milky way
helps us to clearly see
the position of the Southern Cross.

Whilst observing the sky
we catch site of the Mir spaceship
one week before it is due to
splash down somewhere in the sea
between here and Chile.

Inside the observatory
a large telescope is trained on Jupiter.
Through it we can plainly view
swirling gas clouds and four moons
one to the norwest;
three almost in a so'west line.

Outside in the field
smaller telescopes are set up.
we behold Saturn,
its magnificent rings resplendent.
All I can say is
"Wow!"

We also look closely
at the Jewel-box constellation
and the Orion nebulae.

Reluctantly
we return to the warmth
of our lakeside lodge
dreaming of uncountable stars.

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 3rd August 2001

Publications

2002 ROMANIAN CONTEMPORARY ASTROPOETRY 2002 (Bucharest, SARM)
2006 NHI (Internet)
2006 Curlew (UK)

*****
PRIVIND LA STELE IN NOUA ZEELANDA

Suntem culesi intr-un camion de tranzit.
Astronomul japonez ne poarta in afara satului
si ne traverseaza doua campuri imperechiate
catre micul sau observator.

Este o seara senina si rece;
cerul arata frumos;
suntem expusi stelelor,
cum si ele apar inaintea ochilor nostri nuzi.

Astronomul puncteaza constelatiile
si planetele, Jupiter si Saturn;
adanc inauntrul Caii Lactee
ne ajuta sa vedem clar
pozitia Crucii Sudului.

In timp ce observam cerul,
prindem si site-ul statiei Mir
cu o saptamana inainte de cuvenita-i
prabusire in mare
intre aici si Chile.

Inauntrul observatorului,
un telescop mare este fixat pe Jupiter.
Prin el putem vedea deschis
nori de gaz invartejati si patru luni,
una spre nord-vest
si trei aproape de linia sud-vestului.

In afara campului
sunt fixate telescoape mai mici.
Observam Saturnul
si magnificele-i inele stralucitoare.
Tot ce pot spune este
"Wow!"

Privim de asemenea indeaproape
constelatia Cutia cu Diamante
si nebuloasa lui Orion.

Fara convingere
ne intoarcem la caldura
casutei noastre de langa lac,
visand stele nenumarate.

GERALD ENGLAND

(versiunea romaneasca de Andrei Dorian Gheorghe)

Publications

2001 SARM-news (Romania)
2006 NHI (Internet)

(f19)

outside the X-ray
waiting patients laugh and joke
— passing matron scowls

© Gerald England

Composed: Huddersfield, 27th May 1995

Publications

1995 New Hope International Writing (UK)
1995 Lo Straniero (Italy)
1996 Sparrow (Croatia)

*****
Izvan X zraka
pacijenti se smiju i šale
— mrgodna nadzornica

GERALD ENGLAND

(translated from English to Croation by Marijan Èekolj)

Publication

1996 Sparrow (Croatia)

tanka 5

Sailing on the Dee
we talked of former lovers,
shared new memories;
in rooms not far from the Zoo
animal passions cried out.

© GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Gee Cross, 24th August 1991

Publications

1992 Bare Bones (UK)
1992 STEALING KISSES (Hyde, New Hope International)
1993 New Hope International Writing (UK)
1994 Lo Straniero (Italy)
1994 WIND FIVE FOLDED (Gualala, AHA Books)
2001 IN THE SHIP'S WAKE (North Shields, Iron Press)

*****
Velejando no Dee
falamos de antigos amantes
compartilhamos novas memorias
em lugares nao muito longe do zoologico
as paixoes animais gritam

GERALD ENGLAND

Translated by Teresinka Pereira

Publications

1992 International Poetry (USA)
1993 New Hope International Writing (UK)

(g1)

              power station plumes rise
              from frosty mist - in still air
              white clouds coalesce

             ©  GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Langsett, 11th November 1988

Publications

1989 New Hope International (UK)
1998 LIMBO TIME (Hyde, New Hope International)
1999 NASA (USA)
2000 Mir (USA)

Ballade of Halley's Comet

BALLADE OF HALLEY'S COMET

Away from all the city lights
With binoculars skyward scanned
Up on hills where the cold wind fights
And tries to get the upper hand,
Frozen and all alone I stand.
Below the Pleiades I stare,
Hoping I can see that firebrand -
Oh, Halley's Comet, are you there?

I've seen some meteorites -
Shooting stars over the moorland -
The moving lights of satellites,
And once when on the Rio Grande
A full eclipse of sun was planned
I saw it well, I do declare,
But now this answer I command -
Oh, Halley's Comet, are you there?

I have searched all these starry nights
Like Customs after contraband.
In nineteen-ten you reached the heights
With tail stretching to Samarkand.
Towards you spacecraft head unmanned
With computer programmed software
To analyse and understand -
Oh, Halley's Comet, are you there?

ENVOI

Prince, will its tail this time expand
So I can see this sight, so rare,
I'll go to any distant strand ?
Oh, Halley's Comet, are you there?

© Gerald England

Composed:  Ashton under Lyne, 25th November 1985

Publications

1989 New Hope International (UK)
1990 International Poetry Suplemento (USA)
1999 Romanian Contemporary Astropoetry (Romania)

*****

BALADA COMETEI HALLEY (I)

Departe de toate luminile orasului

Cu binocluri scanand salonul cerului

Sus pe dealuri unde vantul rece lupta

Si incearca sa obtina mana absoluta,

Inghetat si singur am stat,

Sub Pleiade am privit fix,

Sperand sa pot vedea ace taciune de foc-

O, cometa Halley, acolo esti?

Gerald England

translated into Romanian by Andrei Dorian Gheorghe.

Publications

2001 Pasi spre infinit (Romania)

2003 SARM (Internet)

Craig

           CRAIG

           Craig is three now

           Last year he climbed
           the height of the
           Giant's Causeway

           Today he crossed
           in wave-sprayed boat
           to Staffa and probed
           the depths of Fingal's Cave

           Craig is handicapped

           In one year
           he has crossed
           the Giant's sea
           from Ulster to the Hebrides

           How many years
           will he take
           to climb other heights
           probe other depths
           cross that other sea
           others label "normallacy" ?

           © GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Fionnphort, 3rd August 1984

Publications

1984 New Hope International (UK)
1984 International Biographical Centre Magazine (UK)
1984 Boyds Walk Newsletter (UK)
1986 FUTURES (Ipswich, Magic Pen Press)
1987 White Rose Magazine (UK)

*****

Portuguese translation by Teresinka Pereira

Text not to hand.

Publication

1985 International Poetry (USA)

War and ...

WAR AND ....

In the War of the Roses
at Hyde Horticultural Show,
Peace was beaten
by Red Devil, Grandpa Dickson and Bobby Charlton.

© GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Hyde, 14th September 1982

Publications

1983 New Hope International (UK)
1984 Harvest (USA)
1986 International Journal on World Peace (USA)
1997 Stop Gap (UK)

Monday Morning

MONDAY MORNING

Beneath the row of nettles
the dock leaves grew
and ivy up a tree
Out at sea the destroyer plied
its silent way while the raucous sounds
of toucans, macaws and cockatoos
filled the tropical aviary
One white-cheeked touraco, with shining
scarlet eyelashes hung firmly
to a twig for his long-lost nest
Two little guinea-pigs shared their home
with the cockatiels
A white peahen looked uninterestedly on
at two peacocks, tails afanned
and bottoms shaking a furious courtship
The Alexandrine parakeet took
the tomato and held it in its claw to eat
Neither we nor they cared for the rain
The mist destroyed any sight out at sea
and the trees dripped

© GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: St Lawrence, IOW, 5th May 1977

Publications

1980 THE RAINBOW AND OTHER POEMS (Heckmondwyke, Fighting Cock Press)
1981 New Hope International (UK)
1993 The People's Poetry (UK)

Christmas Present

CHRISTMAS PRESENT

Jesus Christ was God's Christmas present to the world!
Oh yes!
We opened the gift up very carefully
but we saved the wrappings
and threw away
the present!

© Gerald England

Composed: York, 7th July 1969

Publications

1970 MOUSINGS (Sheffield, Headland)
1970 Pontefract & Castleford Express (UK)
1970 Tait's Quarterly (UK)
1972 Roots (UK)
1972 Ludds Mill (UK)
1973 ENVIRONMENT (Thames Ditton, Ember Press)
1973 Purston Parish Magazine (UK)
1985 New Hope International (UK)
1990 Omnific (USA)

*****
WEIHNACHTGESCHENK

jesus christus war gottes weihnachtsgeschenk fur die welt
o ja
wir haben das geschenk sorgfaltig geoffnet
abet wir haben das geschenkpapier aufgehoben
und das geschenk
weggeworfen

gerald england

aus dem englischen ubersetzt von elly grothof-nouwen

Publications

1983 Lyrik-Mappe (Austria)
1985 New Hope International (UK)

*****
PRESENTE DE NATAL

[Portuguese translation by Teresinka Pereira- text not to hand]

Publications

1985 New Hope International (UK)
1986 Literatura Internacional (USA)