From a wonderfully varied group that included both Word & Image and prose poetry, voters went for the poem that most spoke to them directly and David Riley’s ‘Bit Parts’ is the Pick of the Month for January 2018.
David is studying for an MA at the Seamus Heaney centre, Queen’s University Belfast. He has had several poems printed and in shop windows.
Bit Parts
I want to ask you,
do you think we’re in a film?
If we get our lines wrong
will someone step out from the Golden Mile,
put us back on track –
though they haven’t done yet –
the director’s a secretive sod.
You smile.
I like it when you touch my face
I don’t say, just wait
for your fingers to move from my skin.
Like all the other takes, you begin again
look out to sea, wait for your cue.
I remember what you haven’t said yet.
Voter made the following comments:
Beautiful imagery
the humour and relative conciseness appeal to me.
I like the secretive flavour of the last line
Memory, reality, feelings, all questioned.
a very wander/wonder-ful poem
The pauses felt right.