Love Poem
Startforth. Copley. Rushyford.
Ogle. Snitter. Seaton.
Hett. Consett. Hetton-le-Hole.
Cockfield. Felling. Wingate.
Hart. Newfield. Sacriston.
Broom. Tantobie. Sunniside.
Rowley. Morpeth. Pity Me.
Stobswood. Ulgham. Tudboe.
Newbiggin. Ingoe. High Spen.
Esh. Greatham. Bedlington.
Pontop. Dipton. Satley.
New Brancepeth. New Ridley. New Hart!
Song for the outward journey
Beneath the bridge, through the tunnel,
in a forward-facing seat, leave.
The buzzing lines to anywhere will hold you.
The wiry grass clinging to hills
will shiver in the fields tonight.
The land you left behind today will hold you.
The brooks will swell and burst their banks
to carve out shapes that you won't read.
The native mud still on your boots will hold you.
Birds swoop down, winking, ironic,
remind you of unsaid goodbyes.
The sky you thought as grey and void will hold you.
So magpies croon and croak so they can hold you
and trees sway bare and brown and stretch to hold you
and hedges mime a wind-blown grief
as bridges creak, moan, sway and keen
cross rivers dashing seawards trying to hold you
from a place that holds its breath but cannot hold you.
(A Hole) Where My Heart Used to Be
there's a hole where my heart used to be
and the wind blows through without sound
there's a hole where my heart used to be
there's a hole where my heart used to be
where the dancers no longer move round
there's a hole where my heart used to be
there's a hole where my heart used to be
now the strength to dig can't be found
there's a hole where my heart used to be
there's a hole where my heart used to be
don't go over that very old ground
there's a hole where my heart used to be
there's a hole where my heart used to be
I'm as blue as the old mud is brown
there's a hole where my heart used to be
and in it my heart was dragged down
there's a hole where my heart used to be
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