Black Coffee and Cigarettes
Close to the leaf a black raven
In nature what would happen normally is that dogs chase cats
Of course the zebra looks to the sky
They were naming them after household objects:
the telephone, the aspidistra, the cuckoo clock
They cocoon to protect themselves from predators
Sometimes in birds’ nests, nests of mice, lizards scuttle
Perfect meals for bats
In another time, another age, Ingrid Bergman lights a Gauloise
She wears a sound-repelling cloak to indicate she is not edible
There’s a pretty frantic love life going on; he serenades her nightly
They grow on poisonous plants, strawberries, apples and pears
Pretend to be the same species. Fly towards Saturn.
Jane Salmons lives in Stourbridge in the Black Country. She has recently completed an MA in Creative Writing with Distinction. In addition to writing poetry, she enjoys creating handmade collage art. You can find her work at: http://instagram.com/