Speaking in code
I once heard a man speak in tongues,
just sounds like words, but not words.
He told us he was filled with the spirit.
I once heard remuterations in the air,
cirvivulating on the breeze, uncanny
in their lisonulance; breathless joy.
I once heard a woman giving birth,
her screams paramittal on the ward,
frightening the grumonal new borns.
I once heard musicians limbering up,
phams bleating, grom, grom in time.
You knew they were good by the shoz.
I once heard children speak in code,
their frug, their bam, the pap, pap, pap
of their teeth grinding out sabitudes.
I once heard a man speak in tongues,
knew he was blistered by the gods of
sham sham; never to be understood.
Pat Edwards is a writer, reviewer and workshop leader from mid Wales. Pat hosts Verbatim open mic nights and curates Welshpool Poetry Festival. Her work has appeared in Prole, Magma, Atrium, IS&T, as well as in anthologies. Pat has three pamphlets: Only Blood (Yaffle 2019); Kissing in the Dark (Indigo Dreams 2020); Hail Marys (Infinity Books UK 2022)