poetry snapshots: rose drew

 

Journeys

1. Kings Crossing

He walks his daily tightrope,

head dropped forward,

eyes tight to floor tiles,

arms hugging sides,

cramped shuffling walk;

all in black, simplicity

for dressing in the mornings.

I hope he has splashed out in grey,

or a mild blue,

tho' the black black jeans,

black jacket, black trainers give me doubt.

But he's out there.

He manoeuvres, firm control,

one tube station to another,

one obligation to another,

rising brave to lunge into the frightening crowds,

traverse the large and noisy spaces,

alone.

II. Victoria

Her eyes gleam

with tales of the children she tutors, two days a week,

two hours a time,

homework, role playing, practical sessions

on how to survive.        How can you work with kids like that?

she is asked, but I know how, 

the frustrations, rewards,

how always searching for another way

to explain the world

teaches you more than you bring them.

Fresh from Argentina,

she travels Europe alone, on recast Honeymoon

now the fiance has failed,

and her children,

the ones she loves,

will feel vague peace

when she returns.

Besides, you never know:

the one who is lost may grow

to own a dozen matching jeans

in future closet:

learn to trek the underground,

head down, arms stiff with effort,

oyster card safe within a fist.

Rose Drew, from York via Miami, is finally wrapping up a PhD involving human skeletons and will decide what to do next.

Rose is addicted to hosting open mics, co-founding three in two continents: York’s Spoken Word is now in its 7th year.  Her work, mostly poetry, has been published in anthologies, newsprint, and journals starting in 1977; her favourite place to be is in front of a large audience, performing. 

Rose co-owns small press Stairwell Books and is delighted that all the hard work, especially from partner Alan, demon book designer, is finally paying off. Her own first book, Temporary Safety (Fighting Cock Press) was No 9 of the 2011 Purple Patch 20 Best Individual Collections. Rose collaborates with composers and musicians at the Sounds Lyrical Project Website  and she can be seen performing her poetry on Youtube.