<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong> So! How may I help you, dear? You will need to fill in a reclamation form. When did you last see your little life? Where were you when it went missing, dear? Describe its purpose and meaning in ten words or less. Who else was present, dear? Perhaps you never had a little life. So! Next, please.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Janice D. Soderling<\/strong>‘s poetry, fiction and translations are found in such journals as Wasafiri, Light, Modern Poetry in Translation, The Ghazal Page.<\/em> Her work is included in four new or forthcoming anthologies.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Birds I have known<\/strong><\/p>\n Patrolling pigeons, initial links to an outside world, Their inclusive curiosity allows interaction with nature, After a few weeks a transfer to Open Prison beckons, another Amidst a forest setting, watching buzzards climbing, soaring, Here I achieve purpose, I plan, work, play, study, make friends <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Andrew C Brown is<\/strong> an ex-prisoner, recovering addict and a winner of a Koerstler Award and a community regeneration award. He performs spoken word as \u2018The Grandad from Knowle West\u2019. He has been published on three continents.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Freedom of the Season<\/strong><\/p>\n One morning unexpectedly <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Roy Moller<\/strong>‘s work features in the anthologies The Sea<\/em> (Rebel Poetry) and Neu! Reekie! UntitledTwo.<\/em> \u00a0 Left Luggage Office at the European Border So! How may I help you, dear? Your little life has gone missing? Oh my! You will need to fill in a reclamation form. Was it a) misplaced b) forgotten c) left behind d) stolen, e) abandoned? Try to remember, dear. Concentrate. When did you last […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15022","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-prose-poetry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inksweatandtears.co.uk\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15022","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inksweatandtears.co.uk\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inksweatandtears.co.uk\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inksweatandtears.co.uk\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inksweatandtears.co.uk\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15022"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/inksweatandtears.co.uk\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15022\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15024,"href":"https:\/\/inksweatandtears.co.uk\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15022\/revisions\/15024"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inksweatandtears.co.uk\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15022"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inksweatandtears.co.uk\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15022"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inksweatandtears.co.uk\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15022"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n Left Luggage Office at the European Border<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nYour little life has gone missing?
\nOh my!<\/p>\n
\nWas it a) misplaced b) forgotten c) left behind d) stolen, e) abandoned?
\nTry to remember, dear.
\nConcentrate.<\/p>\n
\nWas it brimming with a) youth, b) years,
\nc) thoughts expanding like smiles?
\nOr none or all of the above?<\/p>\n
\nTry to remember exactly.
\nWas it before the difficulties came?
\nOr after?
\nOr during?<\/p>\n
\nWe need to know a) the color, b) the size, c) why.<\/p>\n
\nDo you have proof of that?
\nI wish you would be just a little more cooperative.<\/p>\n
\nNot everyone does, you know.
\nYou’d be surprised to learn
\nhow many come here looking for lives they never had.<\/p>\n
\nI’m afraid I can’t help you, dear.<\/p>\n
\nwelcome me to the first dawn of my three-year prison term
\nthis harsh reality of nature calls its greetings to a sleepless RB8466,
\nairborne, scavenging rats comfortable with their place in the natural world.<\/p>\n
\ntheir calls for attention drown the sound of the falling young man
\nthis harsh reality of prison debt calls its warnings to a wakeful RB8466
\nthreatening, scavenging rats comfortable with their place in the prison world.<\/p>\n
\nsweatbox ride to a strange destination, daffodils spotted through
\ndarkened windows. On arrival light of day dazzles a wondering RB8466
\nunusual conditions as I feel more comfortable with my place in the prison world.<\/p>\n
\nseemingly floating as they catch the thermals, they are free to decide.
\nI am also able to flee if I wish but now freedom is a threat to a scared RB8466
\ncomfortable and secure, scavenging existence with my place in the prison world.<\/p>\n
\nenjoy Thursday afternoon walks, anticipate spotting a magnificent
\nlarge buzzard nest, accumulate experiences, become a positive RB8466
\nscavenging comfort, security, free, respectful of my place in the prison world.<\/p>\n
\nyour senses return to you,
\ndullness done with,
\nears freed of caustic mud,
\ntouch loose and working,
\ntaste a trigger
\nand smell like a shotgun
\nblasting obstruction.
\nYou\u2019re cleared to see reality
\nand through it to phantoms
\nplanted on the ocean,
\nthe liner striding past you,
\nfour raked smokestacks
\nsuperstructure gleaming,
\nboiler room blackening.
\nPerhaps Autumn bonfires
\nhave burnt away the fences
\nthat pegged you to the present;
\nthis season sets you closer
\nto a panoramic window
\nbefore the first
\nsudden splinter of frost.<\/p>\n
\nHis recordings include My Week Beats Your Year<\/em>, described by Louder Than War<\/em> as “profoundly moving and inspirational”. www.roymoller.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"