Poems from the pamphlets

OLD BLONDE

Old blonde

drops fag in her martini

sound of loneliness

©Dónall Dempsey 2009

from "Old Pond Revisited"

RETIREMENT PLANS

"When I grow old", said my mother,

"I'll change my life,

I'll rent a garret on the left bank of the Seine

in Paris, give up being a mother and a wife,

spend my days painting, drink red wine all night

my friends will be artists - maybe I'll write."

"But what about Dad?" I objected.

My mother reflected.
"He'll be okay," she said.

He'll buy a djellabi,sandals, a scarab -

he'll live in the desert, along with the Arabs.

He's learning the lingo at evening class.

He'll go over to Gaza." I thought, What a gas!

I'd spend April in Paris, winter with Dad -

there was going to be some fun to be had.

I hoped that my parents' dreams

all would come true - but after all that,

they just moved down to Bude!

©Janice Windle 2009

from "Staying Alive"

"I'd rather be dead

...only when I die! '

she smiled

 

'...but for now...'

she laughed

'You make me feel so

alive! '

 

'And this

kiss is

 

the only

place

I want to be!"

©Dónall Dempsey 2009

from "Recital"

I'D RATHER BE DEAD ONLY WHEN I DIE

IN DARK NIGHT

When my eyes open

on empty night-time darkness

my skin recalls you

©Janice Windle

from "It was dark when they met"