CHRISTOPHER BARNES - POEMS

Christopher Barnes won a Northern Arts writers award. Christmas 2001 he debuted at Newcastle's famous Morden Tower doing a reading of poems.  Each year he read for Proudwords lesbian and gay writing festival and partook in workshops.  2005 saw the publication of his collection LOVEBITES published by Chanticleer Press, 6/1 Jamaica Mews, Edinburgh.

Liberty Atoms 41

Longcase alarm blubbed
-       The hour to unveil.
June’s dazzle stiffened,
As it rolled across floors.
Maisie convulsed,
Not quite dead.
Gore on wallpaper:
“I see it as a palace,’ said Edward,
‘the kind that vanishes!”
 Quote: Iris Murdoch, The Nice And The Good

Liberty Atoms 42

Waste bin brimming
Vertical roses.
Ironing crackled, in limbo.
Maisie’s Asti-swigging persisted.
Candles on a rug declared:
“In any case today
He could not go anywhere.”
​
Quote: Iris Murdoch, The Nice And The Good

Liberty Atoms 43

Clairvoyant’s footprints
Amble a recoil.
Hawfinch goosesteps on scullery drawers.
Maisie loose-plucks the wool
She needled eons of resentment into.
Contours along photosensitive paper:
“Then I found Ilona’s necklace still dangling
about his neck.”

Quote: Iris Murdoch, The Nice And The Good

Liberty Atoms 44

The darkroom’s sunflower
Nauseated cheeriness.
Restrained into soil-tilling blues,
A hush-wrecking pounce
Earthed no rhythm.
Maisie salivated blood,
Fondling it into:
“Edward almost dropped the photo,
and hastily handed it back.”
 Quote: Iris Murdoch, The Nice And The Good

Liberty Atoms 45

Bedtime-sky.  Curtains
Rippled asteroids through hours.
Webbing on a futuristic gown
Nudged skirting boards.
Maisie paraded ooze,
Vindictive waders.
Held-true zodiacs grouped into:
“You looked,’ said Meredith.
‘I saw you.”
 
Quote: Iris Murdoch, The Nice And The Good