GATHERING MUSSELS

Wakening to the
sound of rain myself and the
ducks all hoot at once

__heat-wave – into the shower
__two or three times a day

gathering mussels
from rusting oyster frames
the tide trickles in

__her knickers flapping on the line
__must be the weekend

the bird bath freezes
even the cat sleeps
under the blankets

__only the snowman
__saw the deer file past

finally above the tree-line
all this sky
all this wind

__pausing to photograph
__the back of his head

you must know how I feel
how would I know?
you’re supposed to love me

__spires that touch the sky
__sewers that drain the earth

you can either walk
or pay 500 lire to the friar
manning the lift

__gravity gravity
__all is gravity

barely above the horizon
the harvest moon
setting already

__darkness of elderberries
__the lit cottage windows

at the bottle bank
it’s so good to hear the glass
actually smash

__another flat tyre
__ah well, it’s teatime all day

leaving the city centre
it looked so easy
on the map

__seed catalogues
__all over the floor

gusts of cherry blossom
the road sweeper
is scunnert

__these longer days he likes
__to walk ‘til dusk.

a nijuuin renga in summer
the hidden gardens, Glasgow
August 13, 2005

Participants

Gerry Loose (master)
Julie Johnstone (host)
Norman Bissell
Larry Butler
Ken Cockburn