Whaled Beach

A plain of broken bloodied teeth stretched out beside the dying sea

while foetid sewage gurgles over sand and bones uncertainly

The swollen beach obscenely skinned like some unearthly amputee

Mistletoe

Oaken parasite
Kiss me quick beneath the bough
On this New Year's night

Desert Grave

Disinterred dishonourably, from powdered soil's warm sleep

Fine stone-wrought words reduced to sand no longer make us weep

Earth cleaves and mummifies below her heavens' cloudless keep

Unforgivable

These eyes have seen ten summers pass
since last they saw your face
Now every morning's ruddy skies
light up a million dew-filled eyes
to watch my fall from grace

This mouth has breathed ten winters out
since last it spoke your name
Now every evening's cloud-scuffed snow
sets gloomy northern pines aglow
to heat my cheeks with shame

Lothario's Epistle

Beguiling silver tongue weaves pale and perfect lip-sung lover's letters

Parchment harp's stringed eloquence now bites with toothless velvet fetters

Flattery's exquisite chains make love's impulses willing debtors

Overlooked

Her rock pools drowned and out of reach
from groynes where sand still clings. 

The crumbling chalk's fine misted cape 

is soft across her pebbled nape

Thus drifts this northern wind-chilled beach 
on springtide's squall-gauzed wings.

étangs d'automne

My tenth-born breathed a mist across the waiting evening water

Wounded clouds and darkened trees concealed the dying day

Bloody-faced and marble-tongued, the fearful shadows sought her

She tended their contusions as they leached away to grey