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Best Poems From
B.. ALEXANDER
('81)
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153.
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Somewhere, Beyond The Graveyard
She stumbles blindly down the steps
Meets and greets the on-coming traffic, with a wave
Falling into the new day with a crash
Our dusty lady, of the railway tenements, smiles
Bruised and beautiful, she sways
Left to right, into town, clutching her head tightly
Doused in black...and drowned in white...
Limp and vinyl shining hair, a shelter
The burning sun contracepted by thick glasses
And treading on her hem, she crosses the street
Our heroin girl, of the bed-sit spoons, smiles
Wired and beautiful, she turns
Face to the floor, queuing up, clutching her ticket tightly
Doused in black...and drowned in white...
A vampire for sensation's bite, she used to say;
'If I had faith, I'd take my own life, I swear...
Somewhere... somewhere out beyond the graveyard there'
The rattle of the train, hypnotic, into the moors
Through forgotten, unknown places, and to the sea
Her tears barely perceptible, in her faint reflection
Our haunting figure, of the candle-lit fish-dinners, smiles
Re-composed and beautiful, she inhales
Eyes on her hands, hands on her knees, she clutches tightly
A red lamp and the bitter end, the slowing coaches
The evening fell to show her breath before her face
Weightless in her pockets, but weighing on her mind
Our anime child, of the emotional apocalypse, smiles
Diffident and beautiful, she hesitates
The dirty pills, like shadows, on her pale palms, clutching tightly
Doused in black...and drowned in white...
A vampire for sensation's bite, she used to say;
'If I had faith, I'd take my own life, I swear...
Somewhere... somewhere out beyond the graveyard there'
Oh! Isn't this what she lived for, isn't this why she came
Somewhere, just behind the churchyard wall
High above the white and crashing salty waves
Her poisoned, lifeless, body caught up in the barbs
A tangle of black lace and bloody metal
Blowing in the wind, in the shadow of the Abbey
Dressed in black and faded light
A picture in her hand, she clutches tightly
His indifferent, smiling face, stained red
And sacred heart, drowning in her own wine
Saved? Is she saved? In many ways she is...
Saved, she's saved, In many ways she is...
(2004)
B.. Alexander
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154.
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Spanish Condoms
I bought a box of condoms
While we were on holiday
Six rubber johnnies
Eight weeks ago
We used one that night
On those starched-white sheets
Beside an open window
The heat flowing in
Five condoms left
Eight weeks gone by
Five condoms left
What's happened to us?
What happened?
And when did it happen?
(2008)
B.. Alexander
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155.
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Stalled on the Motorway
I've been picturing
I've been imagining
This night
For years since I last saw you
Why don't you
Why don't you say the things
That I wanted you to
I've been creating
I've been dreaming
This moment
In your absense, but
You don't look quite
You don't speak quite
Like I wanted you to
Nine years of longing
Nine years of planning
Now that it's happening
You don't feel quite
You don't seem quite
Like I wanted you to
I don't know what to do
I don't know what to do anymore
Pinned all my hope on you
Been pinning all my hope on you
Like I thought
You wanted me to do
I'm stalled on the motorway
Between all I used to know
And all I was headed for
I'm stalled on the motorway
Not headed anywhere, anymore...
(2009)
B.. Alexander
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156.
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Stop Pretending
Maybe we should stop pretending
Admit defeat, give in to this
Why drag out this forced separation
When we both know how this will end
We claim we need to find ourselves
When in truth I'm no one without you
I dream of a lover so warm and true
But we both know that's all in you
Let's stop pretending, darling
Take my hand in yours
And lead me home
Let's stop pretending now
I could hold you close at night again
We could find a balance to our lives
There's no reason to waste more time
When we both know what's meant to be
So much denial it's hard to see the truth
Escape just seemed so obvious a path
But now we're nowhere and finding out
There is no other happy way for us
Let's stop pretending, darling
I'll take your hand in mine
And lead you back home
Let's stop pretending now
Let's just go home
I'm so tired
Let's stop pretending, darling
Let's just go home...
B.. Alexander
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