Northwords Now

New writing, fresh from Scotland and the wider North
Sgrìobhadh ùr à Alba agus an Àird a Tuath

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Coastal Town

by Chris Powici

a big October moon rises from the deep bay
shows its hurt, radiant face to the first stars
and a whooper swan looking to land

down here, just the earth up to its usual tricks –

a sea wind, an autumn tide swaying
the bladderwrack on a spit of beach;
the glad serious faces of boys
leaning on the bike-park wall

a woman watches a herring gull
flap and cry from the kirk roof
opens an old door, goes inside

afterwards, only the seaweed-scented air
streetlamps like small wet moons
some boys, somewhere, laughing
bike wheels spinning in the dusk


Five Poems by Chris Powici...

...with translations by five other poets

Claonaig FerryPoem by Chris Powici
Coastal TownPoem by Chris Powici
DrystonePoem by Chris Powici
FallsPoem by Chris Powici
The Quick RainPoem by Chris Powici

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