At break of day I say
‘Marcus? Are you Woke?’
‘Set your sundial to “snooze”
Locate and press the remote
Meditate upon your DVD
“Marcus Morning Workout”’
‘Imagine that today you face
A storm of questions set as traps to trip you
Sniping words composed to discompose
All recall your failures and omissions…
Even so
Do not tax your mind
Rehearsing in advance
Universal undeniable truths
Delivered softly in plain speech
To persistent political bluster
As to these curious toy
Ducks bobbing in your morning bath’
THERMAL SPRINGS
Extrovert and vital men
Resent our broken vigour
Somehow we have earned the wounds
Which open doors to healing gods
The gods would hardly call
Then could not offer healing
To closed conformist minds
Self-satisfied in full-imagined health
Bernard Saint
Illustration: Claire Palmer