At The Poetry Workshop

           AT THE POETRY WORKSHOP

           (for Mabel Ferrett & Norman Nicholson)

           In the back garden
           eight poets scan the sky
           searching with binoculars
           somewhere between Aldebaran
           and the Pleiades
           for the hairy star
           blamed for Harold's
           downfall at Hastings.

           There is nothing to be seen
           but reflections of sodium street light
           except for those with more vision
           or imagination.

           As we recross the Pennines
           at midnight,
           clouds descend
           over these northern, November moors,
           forbidding further attempts
           at spotting our traveller
           whom my son, now eight,
           waits to see -
           now -
           not at age eighty-three !

           © GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Ashton under Lyne, 12th November 1985

Publication

1986 POEMS FOR HASTINGS (Ashton under Lyne, New Hope International)

Gentle

GENTLE

(for B.S.)

"Gentle Jesus, meek and mild"  — Charles Wesley.

Who threw the money-changers
from the temple?

Who endured pain,
suffered children?

Who turned water to wine,
fishermen to saints?

Who walked on water,
trod on Roman toes?

Being gentle
is never a soft
option!

Gentle opens more doors
than hard knocking,
can turn the key
to eternity!


© Gerald England

Composed: Ashton under Lyne, 29th September 1985

Publications

1988 Tandava (USA)
1992 STEALING KISSES (Hyde, New Hope International)
1998 The Morpo Review (Internet)

*****

              GENTIL

              (Para B.S.)

                  "Gentil Jesus, manso e docil"

                             Charles Wesley.

              Quem tocou os cambistas

              do templo ?

              Quem suportou a dor

              e o sofrimento das criancas ?

              Quem transformou a agua no vinho,

              pescadores em santos ?

              Quem caminhou sobre as aguas

              e pisou no calcanhar dos romanos ?

              Ser gentil

              nao e nunca a opcao

              mais suave

              Ser gentil abre mais portas

              do que bater com forca,

              e tambem pode abrir com chave

              a eternidade!

              © GERALD ENGLAND

              (Portuguese translation by TERESINKA PEREIRA)

Publication

1988 Directory of International Writers & Artists (USA)

Brigflatts Visited (Just)

       BRIGFLATTS VISITED(JUST)

       Weekending at Wrightington
       we chose Saturday
       for our pilgrimage.

       Just a few motorway miles
       saw the weather change
       to an unending pour

       Swerving to avoid a bollard
       we skidded near Forton Services,
       regained control, stopped for coffee.

       In the narrow road at Brigflatts
       we turned the car, parked briefly,
       but fearing a drenching forsook exploration

       Paying ten pence to park
       we got soaked in Sedbergh
       running to the Copper Kettle

       Lunch over we set out for Dent
       and met the river at Catholes
       flowing towards us down the road

       Several times the engine faltered
       but we low-geared through,
       the exhaust bouncing on boulders

       We escaped over the tops to Barbon
       following the brown, bubbling Barkin Beck
       as it tumbled down carrying earth and stone

       Arriving back at our quaggy field
       abandoning our vehicle by the road
       we crossed unwellied to the caravan

       Soon we settled for coffee
       and a book - mine
       The Orkneyinaga Saga with tales of Eric Bloodaxe

       On Sunday the sun shone unceasing

       © GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Wrightington, 19th September 1985

Publications


1986 BRIGGFLATTS VISITED (Ashton under Lyne, New Hope International)
1995 BRIGGFLATTS VISITED 2nd edn (Hyde, New Hope International)

Morning at Seven

              MORNING AT SEVEN

              The rising-eight,
              arising at six
              leaving parents asleep,
              watches television
              quietly.

              It is Sunday;
              there is no T.V.A.M.
              nor Breakfastime,
              no Popeye,
              no Roland Rat,
              Bugs Bunny, Pink Panther,
              only Open University.

              He stares amazed
              at the hieroglyphs
              of calculus and chemistry -
              "Irrational numbers are magic,
              you need a calculater for hard sums",
              says he who has just learnt
              the two-times table.

              A detailed discussion and
              analysis of the Turin Shroud
              arouses his interest in Jesus.

              A programme on Popular Culture
              examines television coverage
              of the Cup Final -
              "I love Manchester United,
              they're my favorites"
              announces he of the two
              left feet.

              © GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Ashton under Lyne, 9th September 1985

Publication

1986 Mussolini's Rabbit (UK)

Churchill Barriers, Orkney

               CHURCHILL BARRIERS, ORKNEY

               Going to Glimps Holm
               the mast of a sunken ship
               still rises offshore,
               a rusty reminder
               of how this road was built,
               linking islands,
               bringing peace to Scapa Flow.

               In men's minds
               are the barriers to peace,
               separating lands,
               alienating people;
               but the barriers to war
               support roads,
               join people together.

               © GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: off Fair Isle, 8th August 1985

Publications

1986 International Journal on World Peace (USA)
1990 International Poetry (USA)
1992 STEALING KISSES (Hyde, New Hope International)

[9f]

Composed: Manchester, 16th June 1985

Publications

1989 Bogg (USA)

1992 Apostrophe (UK)

1998 LIMBO TIME (Hyde, New Hope International)

2000 Peace & Freedom (UK)

(c13)

laughter of children
invades the cool evening wood
- dogs cross bridlepaths

© gerald england

Composed: Daisy Nook, 6th June 1985

Publications

1987 Red Pagoda (USA)
1993 Candelabrum (UK)

*****

kora no warai

samu-yo no mori ya

kemono-michi

© gerald england

Japanese translation by Sakuzo Takada.

Publication

1987 Red Pagoda (USA)

(c12)

how smooth the ice cracks
slow movement of glaciers
down the spring valley

© gerald england

Composed: Daisy Nook, 6th June 1985

Publications

1987 Red Pagoda (USA)
1988 New Cicada (Japan)
1996 Blithe Spirit (UK)
1998 LIMBO TIME (Hyde, New Hope International)
1999 NASA (USA)
2000 Mir (USA)

*****

kori ware

tani ni hygoya wa

ugoki-dashi

© gerald england

Japanese translation by Sakuzo Takada.

Publications

1987 Red Pagoda (USA)

1988 New Cicada (Japan)

1996 Blithe Spirit (UK)

(c11)

harsh the mountain track
above which the eagle soars
sun glistening on snow

© gerald england

Composed: Daisy Nook, 6th June 1985

Publication

1987 Red Pagoda (USA)

*****

yama michi ni

washi ga tobi-kai

yuki hikari

© gerald england

Japanese translation by Sakuzo Takada.

Publication

1987 Red Pagoda (USA)

National Poetry Convention Reading

Liverpool Garden Festival 

A man on stilts at the entrance the Liverpool Garden Festival. © Copyright Gerald England.

NATIONAL POETRY CONVENTION READING,

FESTIVAL GARDENS, LIVERPOOL,

26th MAY 1985.

(Written and performed at the event)

Two score of poets

under China-painted corrugated roof

bounce words into the Mersey wind

As the waterfall bounces off rocks

into a pebble-shored lake

so we listen,

absorbing liquidity of meaning

While children throw stones into the water

expecting only splashes

we throw our words at you

and await the ripples

© GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Liverpool, 26th May 1985

Publications

1985 The Old Police Station (UK)

1994 Tree Trunk (USA)

Lands End

               LANDS END

               The island cries
               Its tears are lost
               in the spray of the racing surf
               The rock hurts
               Pain penetrates each stratum
               The gas is low
               The kettle boils but slowly
               Cove and Cape concentrate the anger of rain
               Water persists in clouds
               In the morning of Good Friday
               the sun celebrates silence
               Early risers chew noisily
               on hot-cross-buns
               It is silly to talk of islands
               that do not cry
               or of rocks that feel no pain
               On the edge
               no man is untouched
               Behind all showers
               a rainbow hides

              © GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Sennen, 20th April 1985

Publications

1985 Pennine Platform (UK)
1986 FUTURES (Ipswich, Magic Pen Press)
1990 Spider Eyes (USA)
1993 Dial 174 (UK)
1999 Black Creek Review (USA)

[446pqi]

Composed: Ashton under Lyne, 3rd March 1985

Publications

1986 The Old Police Station (UK)

1996 Braquemarde (UK)

1998 LIMBO TIME (Hyde, New Hope International)