Very cold day

The doctors do not know what ails him.
All is sunshine in the west. Keep him in bed.
Five years ago we had a very windy day.

I’m glad they’ve left us a few boats. A walk
To the docks will do us the world of good.
Him in his pram, getting pretty close to it.

I haven’t got long before the monoplanes.
I bought a straw hat but it doesn’t suit me
so I gave it to the donkey, got a great laugh.

The child’s coffin is measured by teeth.
One for each day of the week. I fell over
again, just at the spot where it happened.

 

 

Jude Cowan is a writer, artist and composer who lives in London. She works as an archivist for Reuters Television. Her first collection of poetry, For the Messengers was published by Donut Press in 2011. Her second, The Groodoyals of Terre Rouge will be published by Dark Windows Press in 2012. She makes musical improvisations on Reuters stories and these are available on the Parisian based netlabel Three Legs Duck.