Trip

1

I speak six languages, French on the train,
Flemish in a square, money in my top hat,
I sell the hat, travel on, Italian at a Cathedral,
Hebrew on a mountain, money in my flat cap,
I travel against the sun, speak music with him.



2

I did not lose my treasure on the crossing
and no pirates approached our ship.
The natives are civilised, for natives;
a charming prince with a nose ring performed a dance for me.



3

wine buckfast lager pass a smoke man the dope shroom stash smashed
out of my head can't feel my feet the bed half a pill I'm delirious dead



4

Strong man and the Siamese twins dig ruts for the wheels
and the acrobat brews tea in a tin kettle.

I toss my top hat at a bear, for Mother Russia has been cruel.



5

And in India – Kerala, the south, yes – reading the Edakkal Caves,
Kutti Chattan, poems of 600 BC, love, kings, Roman ships all sailing in;
the Varthamana Pusthakam travelogue. For the BBC, yes.
A good documentary, insufficient, of course. The Bordeaux, lovely, yes.



6

The polymaths of mars,
we are too too busy building atmospheres
and shattering quarks, for poetry.
Although, in the 37 minutes spare in the day,
I expel a line or two.