<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Needles Gathering<\/strong><\/p>\n After Grandmother\u2019s arrival – a crisp footfall Grandmother sat, exclaimed how nice the presents were. Mum, <\/p>\n Claire Walker<\/strong>‘s poetry has\u00a0been published\u00a0in magazines, anthologies and websites including The Interpreter’s House, Ink Sweat and Tears, Prole, <\/em>and And Other Poems<\/em>. Her first pamphlet, The Girl Who Grew Into a Crocodile<\/em>, is published by V. Press.\u00a0 Her website is https:\/\/clairewalkerpoetry.com<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n What Wish<\/strong><\/p>\n What wish if not this wish?<\/p>\n That snow is terrible What wish if not this wish?<\/p>\n What hope?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\non Christmas Eve – my sister and I lay awake
\nin our twin beds. Turning our heads,
\nwe faced each other, smirked at her voice
\nrising from the dining room below; stuffed
\nheads into feathered pillows
\nto mute our laughter at her shrill voice,
\nwhen we should have been sleeping.<\/p>\n
\nwho’d waded through crowded shopping centre Saturdays,
\ncarefully loaded them into stockings.
\nKneeling at the tree, she found prickled points
\nof dropped needles gathering in the carpet,
\nas Grandmother asked for sherry.
\nMum battled to smooth her frown while, upstairs,
\nmy sister and I picked each other\u2019s smiles out in the dark.<\/p>\n
\nonly in its fall;<\/span>
\nthat overnight
\nthe sky will clear<\/span>
\nand leave the altered earth
\nunhurt.<\/span>
\nThat in some warm
\nneglected stall,<\/span>
\nnew life can grow;
\nthat winter\u2019s sleep<\/span>
\nwill stir to birth,
\nrouse shepherds,<\/span>
\nfrankincense and myrrh,
\nspeak words<\/span>
\nto startle Herods,
\nsear the dark.<\/span><\/p>\n