Poems

Paul Eustice is a freelance writer and educational consultant based in Worthing. He has just completed a play based rather loosely on the stories of Johan Hebel. www.bpfe.org.uk

Paul Eustice

Botany Bay

William Carlos Williams is a famous poet

and yesterday I had his plums in my mouth.

As he died in 1963,

this statement is open to misinterpretation.

I opened the fridge, or ‘icebox’, and I saw

The shine and bloom of a small bunch

Of cold red grapes in a white bowl.

Without thinking,

Without making a conscious moral choice,

I picked two out and rolled them on my tongue

Then, Keatsian to the core, I burst the grape

Against my palette and the juice spilled

And I was ... transported.

You thieving sod, said a voice behind me,

I was saving those for later.

Forgive me, I panted,

I was having a metatextual moment and,

Although small, they were delicious,

But extremely cold.

1963 was a long time ago,

so it was a draught of vintage,

in a way.

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The Sentinel Literary Quarterly Poetry Competition (October 2009) is now open for entries.

Bobby Parker will judge. Learn more>>