NOTES FROM THE HENHOUSE ~

 

E L S P E T H    B A R K E R

R E A D   M E

  Scribner 2024

GERRY LOOSE ~

 

G E R R Y    L O O S E

S c o t l a n d

1948 ~ 2024

   our long time Longhouse friend

A BOOKSHOP IN SCOTLAND ~

 

R E A D     M E

Godine, 2022

NAN SHEPHERD ~

 

N A N     S H E P H E R D

Canongate, 2019

GERRY LOOSE ~

days

drawn in

the watering can

upside down

against the

rain

strange

a moment

in darkness

a noise of

small rain.

To hold this

The slow

rise of

the bird in

the instant

before

landing.

from the deer path to my door

here doing what I do best

weeding reading drinking

*

tax bills deadlines work undone

I plan a seat around the sycamore

*

time spent with black parrot queen of the night tulip

bulbs why not working sitting

*

early bus to town for teachings better

follow the drumming woodpecker into the woods

*

woodpecker drumming lapwings

wings lapping all the way

*

the marble hall all suits & security

guards missing the rain in my garden

*

old lady scattering bread for birds

blossom stuck to her shoes all there is

*

daughter gone into the world

sometimes  leave her room light on

*

autumn leaves gather in corners

doing nothing most gets done

*

old cooking pot under sky where I wash my hands gardening stir up

little frogs carry them to the pond where geese now argue no

                                                                                               nothing

*

fell over drunk precepts

gone vow gone shin hurts palm hurts instep hurts

*

such a small beetle passes so

easily the written lines I labour over

*

stepping out for a piss I can't let the door

latch click listening to the owl's call

____________________

Gerry Loose

Printed On Water

Shearsman, 2007     

                           

THOMAS A CLARK ~

IAN HAMILTON FINLAY ~

LAURIE & THOMAS A. CLARK ~

The other day — here is what flew in

like birds from Scotland ~

all titles by Thomas A. Clark

illustrated by

Laurie Clark ~

treasures.

  

HEAVEN LAKE ( 34 ) ~

For Ian Hamilton Finlay

______________________________________________________

Hear

oriole by

itself made

the yard

                                            

                         Boy

                                               an airport —

                         on the kitchen table

In

the rain

the geese

                                             Simple

                                                 the canoe

                            does no-

                            thing on

                                          land

___________________

Bob Arnold

Heaven Lake

Longhouse 2018

GERRY LOOSE ~

my poetry

is entirely made up

of the sounds of rain

on leaves





—————————————————

Gerry's new book is
night exposures
Vagabond Voices 2018
(Glasgow, Scotland)





photograph by Dominique Carton