Elsewhere, a Lifetime Later
The song she sang by the half-open door,
One melody echoing in the public bar,
Or where geese gather.
And midsummer snow
Falls on hills’ horizon.
And the river is swollen
Into the island lanes,
As they were warned.
The birds that fly to the forest
Are the souls of lovers remembered.
They hear her singing
Beneath the moon of Araby.
Geoffrey Heptonstall contributed to previous editions in 2012 and 2013. He is a poetry reviewer for The London Magazine, and writes regular commentaries on politics and culture for Open Democracy. Recent creative work includes work with several fringe theatre companies, as well as a regular stock of poetry, fiction and essays.