Steve Spence
A DAY OF DISRUPTION
We have little time
to plan and need to
take evasive action
soon. Which is scarier?
the prospect that we’re
alone in space or that
we’re not. “It’s to do
with the memories we
carry with us wherever
we go”, he said. War is
a lunacy which human-
kind seems addicted to
but when a disaster
happens the whole diary
is cleared. Do we think
anyone else was involved?
“There wouldn’t be any
need for this circus if
you’d brought this to my
attention earlier”, she said.
These signs were probably
made for a theatre or a
cinema but once the wolf
has gone life on the pond
returns to normal. Perhaps
we ought to review our
security procedures. Have
you got the bolt cutters?
Nothing can stop a wave
this size yet the jetstream
is behaving strangely and
our local rainfall records
don’t go back that far.
“A sesame bun with pickles
on the side”, he said.
Our options include
recycling water rather
than just letting it run
out to sea.
A PERSONAL SERVICE
“It turns out”, he said, “that
there isn’t much demand
for one-armed guitarists”.
All fruit a pound a punnet,
a pound a punnet, now!
Evidently you do not realise
that you are in an interstellar
conveyance. “I could talk about
the summer he wasn’t speaking
to me”, she said. All the conditions
are right to produce an incredibly
large dust storm but it remains a
question of recognising patterns
and cracking codes. “The trouble
today”, said Frank, “, is that we
don’t breed enough poodles”.
These are a good fit for wide feet
and there’s no need to break them in.
“I’m old-fashioned”, he said, “and
I prefer to assemble the evidence
and see which way it points”. Despite
much conjecture to the contrary,
gannets are very particular about
what they eat. At this time of year
erratic winds rise and fall over the
lake without any warning. “It’s a fabric
sample, sequinned”, she said.
A TIME CAPSULE
“Let’s see if the reverb works”,
he said. He’s just somebody he
used to know a long time ago.
“I wouldn’t put it in those
dramatic terms”, he said, “but
even the weather forecasts are
dripping with hyperbole”. Being
forced to pretend to work just for
the sake of working is an indignity.
A low ankle version of this model
is available but exposed soil and
windy conditions never mix even
though there’s little meat left on
the bone. “It will remain hot and
humid in the south east today”,
she said. Once again we haven’t
even scratched the surface but
collectors call this ‘the pintop’ and
it’s a very desirable model. Some
believe the answer is in front of us,
either that or in an ancient text or
carving waiting to be discovered.
More hot and humid weather is on
its way. “It’s a very nice nut and it’s
not hard to crack”, she said. Everything
in the open ocean is fast and we may
reset the lines hoping for a bigger catch.
“STAYING PUT”, SHE SAID
Together they looked out over the land
like prospective purchasers offered a
wilderness for sale. “You’ll probably
notice them most when they are in small
excitable flocks of about twenty”, she said.
There’s a little water damage but this would
be a great addition to any collection. “Sourcing
the parts is going to prove difficult”, she said.
Look at that tongue, just flicking out, and the
water is thick with fish. “It’s great to have a nut
named after you”, said Hazel. When can we expect
to see them cutting a swathe through the sky?
“If you could do that, you would, wouldn’t you?”
he said. Have you come across the wolf eel? For
warm weather hiking these boots are an excellent
choice but no number may appear more than
once in a dotted area and it could be something
or nothing. “Part of our business is ‘repurposing’”,
he said. Sometimes he works for two periodicals
at the same time. Because it likes harbours and
estuaries the blacktip is one of our most frequently
encountered sharks. “Yes, but are you trading
positive reviews for favours?” Bombast has its
place but when it becomes a behavioural pattern
it can appear boorish. Make sure you lace the boots up
tightly as they are cut rather wide around the ankles.
We have little time
to plan and need to
take evasive action
soon. Which is scarier?
the prospect that we’re
alone in space or that
we’re not. “It’s to do
with the memories we
carry with us wherever
we go”, he said. War is
a lunacy which human-
kind seems addicted to
but when a disaster
happens the whole diary
is cleared. Do we think
anyone else was involved?
“There wouldn’t be any
need for this circus if
you’d brought this to my
attention earlier”, she said.
These signs were probably
made for a theatre or a
cinema but once the wolf
has gone life on the pond
returns to normal. Perhaps
we ought to review our
security procedures. Have
you got the bolt cutters?
Nothing can stop a wave
this size yet the jetstream
is behaving strangely and
our local rainfall records
don’t go back that far.
“A sesame bun with pickles
on the side”, he said.
Our options include
recycling water rather
than just letting it run
out to sea.
A PERSONAL SERVICE
“It turns out”, he said, “that
there isn’t much demand
for one-armed guitarists”.
All fruit a pound a punnet,
a pound a punnet, now!
Evidently you do not realise
that you are in an interstellar
conveyance. “I could talk about
the summer he wasn’t speaking
to me”, she said. All the conditions
are right to produce an incredibly
large dust storm but it remains a
question of recognising patterns
and cracking codes. “The trouble
today”, said Frank, “, is that we
don’t breed enough poodles”.
These are a good fit for wide feet
and there’s no need to break them in.
“I’m old-fashioned”, he said, “and
I prefer to assemble the evidence
and see which way it points”. Despite
much conjecture to the contrary,
gannets are very particular about
what they eat. At this time of year
erratic winds rise and fall over the
lake without any warning. “It’s a fabric
sample, sequinned”, she said.
A TIME CAPSULE
“Let’s see if the reverb works”,
he said. He’s just somebody he
used to know a long time ago.
“I wouldn’t put it in those
dramatic terms”, he said, “but
even the weather forecasts are
dripping with hyperbole”. Being
forced to pretend to work just for
the sake of working is an indignity.
A low ankle version of this model
is available but exposed soil and
windy conditions never mix even
though there’s little meat left on
the bone. “It will remain hot and
humid in the south east today”,
she said. Once again we haven’t
even scratched the surface but
collectors call this ‘the pintop’ and
it’s a very desirable model. Some
believe the answer is in front of us,
either that or in an ancient text or
carving waiting to be discovered.
More hot and humid weather is on
its way. “It’s a very nice nut and it’s
not hard to crack”, she said. Everything
in the open ocean is fast and we may
reset the lines hoping for a bigger catch.
“STAYING PUT”, SHE SAID
Together they looked out over the land
like prospective purchasers offered a
wilderness for sale. “You’ll probably
notice them most when they are in small
excitable flocks of about twenty”, she said.
There’s a little water damage but this would
be a great addition to any collection. “Sourcing
the parts is going to prove difficult”, she said.
Look at that tongue, just flicking out, and the
water is thick with fish. “It’s great to have a nut
named after you”, said Hazel. When can we expect
to see them cutting a swathe through the sky?
“If you could do that, you would, wouldn’t you?”
he said. Have you come across the wolf eel? For
warm weather hiking these boots are an excellent
choice but no number may appear more than
once in a dotted area and it could be something
or nothing. “Part of our business is ‘repurposing’”,
he said. Sometimes he works for two periodicals
at the same time. Because it likes harbours and
estuaries the blacktip is one of our most frequently
encountered sharks. “Yes, but are you trading
positive reviews for favours?” Bombast has its
place but when it becomes a behavioural pattern
it can appear boorish. Make sure you lace the boots up
tightly as they are cut rather wide around the ankles.
Copyright © Steve Spence 2018
Steve Spence is joint organiser of Plymouth Language Club, which promotes live poetry events in Plymouth. His poetry and reviews have appeared in Tears in the Fence, The Rialto, Epozootics, Stand, Stride and Litter, among others. A Curious Shipwreck (Shearsman 2010) was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for best first collection; his other publications include Limits of Control (Penned in the Margins 2011), Maelstrom Origami (Shearsman 2014) and Many Red Fish (Knives, Forks and Spoons 2018).