Six Poets

Michael D Murphy

Mick Murphy was born in the London-Irish community. He now lives in Lancaster . He has published poems in journals and magazines. He is working on his first collection. His poets of the moment are Mandy Coe and Michael Donaghy.

Cliffs and City Lovers

They come here even if the wind is up,
when the sea ruptures on the rocks and slivers home.

Near the outskirts they drift into binary shadows
squelching kelp, hands swinging out to sea.

They do not say much, but occasionally
a finger stabs something on the horizon.

The disorientating space makes them think
they could live here, shrug off the city.

Now they are rope walkers on the cliff's edge,
the ruse of crag face and sheer drop has them smitten.

They will always stick out their necks
for a runaway sky and a cove of their own.

(First published in Staple)

© 2004 Michael D. Murphy

 
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