A poem by Derek Hughes
Acknowledgements to David Hockney
I am pleased to
upload a poem by a British poet Derek Hughes – the winner of Editors’ Prize in
Magma Poetry Competition 2018/2019 (congrats again) and attendee of ‘Editing Poetry’ course in
the Hurst ARVON in December 2018. He told me about English jokes and Lancashire dialect through verse in the workshop.
Please read his wonderful poem together with David Hockney’s painting.
Please read his wonderful poem together with David Hockney’s painting.
PERCY
I pose upon his
knees and stare
out of the
window at a golden bird.
It flits
between a pair
of matching
statues. I hear word
they were
purchased from the latest show
at her friend’s
gallery and could,
given the
sculptor’s trendiness,
be worth a
fortune at forthcoming sales.
Enough of this,
I yearn to go
and prowl
between the roots of trees, snails’
slimy trails, roll in fertile soil, catnip.
I spy a twitch,
a flick of mouse’s tail.
Let it be. I
was designer tom, I’m hip
though now
lacking some accoutrements let’s say.
I eat smoked
salmon, langoustine and sip
from my own
exclusive bowl. My owners pay
cat sitters, so
that they can continue being bored
in Wengen and on the
Cote D’Azur in May.
They stare
between each other-my lady, her amour.
I suspect that
he prefers young men.
She swims a
myriad of shores.
(©Derek Hughes)