<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Playing Scrabble with my New Lover<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n So stupid, but I hadn\u2019t remembered<\/p>\n that the last time I\u2019d played<\/p>\n was in the old house,<\/p>\n until I found the two stubby pencils,<\/p>\n torn envelopes addressed to us both<\/p>\n and old scores, settled.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I poured the wine, apologised<\/p>\n for not being much fun,<\/p>\n while he spelt out L..O…V…E.<\/p>\n But his score was only seven<\/p>\n and I said,<\/p>\n you should have kept the V<\/p>\n for another time.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Deborah Alma<\/strong> was born in London and lives in Ludlow. She writes poetry, runs poetry workshops for children and dementia sufferers and is studying for an MA in Creative Writing at Keele University. She is also Emergency Poet in her 1960’s ambulance.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Xmas Present<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n The present, tense with pressures, <\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\npresents itself in gifts mapped
\nout as these: a sop to fashion,
\npresent pop, tradition wrapped
\nin sentiment. \u00a0And I must choose
\nthe necessary, the trivial, the apt.
\nBowed down by bleak present-
\niment, browned off and strapped
\nfor cash, I’m feeling hassled,
\npressured, feeling present-tense<\/em>.<\/p>\n