James Bell
paradox
the doff the cap and
what you say goes
Guv world is dead
and Yeats's terrible
beauty is born and
the feared rough beast
is already slouching
over the benefits counter
to claim that this just
can't go on with a
tough kind of polemic
an endemic need to boot
the epidemic for need
of compulsion
of frustration
of system all wrong
of making inarticulate
of making inappropriate
responses to what
fear does not understand
and I ask now
where is your refuge
and your strength
as chaos in a
seeming warped reality
rolls down its sleeves
to reign
and somehow some
only see turbulence
while others only see
an intractable calm
and others often see anger
wanting something perhaps
to impose their own order
on an illusory calm
and meanwhile
the servants to gentility
develop their ability
to ignore the many created
servants to malice
as they grow and bleed
outwards upon the land.
thistles stretch their prickly arms afar
James Bell was born in Edinburgh. He has spent time as an actor and musician along with ten years presenting the monthly Uncut Poets in Exeter, plus as a union rep that included health and safety and equalities. Two poetry collections: the just vanished place (2008) and fishing for beginners (2010). Recent print and online appearances: The Journal, Long Focus Magazine, Shearsman, Tears In The Fence, Sarisvarti, Under The Radar, Elbow Room and Butcher's Dog. He is a member/ contributor to projects developed by The Poetry Kit.
everyman
​
skite - skite
now you see him - now you don't
- he flits - a hungry human fly
between the people waiting
with their content bellies
for coaches to arrive
skite - skite
the human fly computes
who is new - descends
hovers - a ten second appeal for change
twenty seconds with unaccompanied women
recognising their gentleness - their edge of compassion
- closer to his frailty than men
skite - skite
dirty old trainers skud over smooth polished marble
- a frantic pneumatic whirl
as he begs and the belly growls
for a morsel
doll's head
​
a doll's head lay in the road
as a mark of something that had happened -
chubby cheeks with a fixed smile at nothing
seen sideways on -
blank unnaturally round blue eyes
framed in a horror hair do still in place -
decapitated
from the plastic body that is nowhere to be seen -
symbol of a violent act
on an object bought to manifest love
and teach us that to cherish
is one of the finer feelings chucked here -
pretend flesh face scratched -
a fine target for one kick then - gone
thistles stretch their prickly arms afar
Militant Thistles