Before Rain

MY VILLAGE

​

It gave me the great afternoon vacancy

and church bells to eulogise the day.

​

It threw skulls at me to play with

in the long grass on bonfire evening.

​

It gave me confetti, coffins

and tramps fighting on sheep fair days.

​

It presented me with the trophy of betrayal

which I accepted as initiation.

​

Everywhere it played for me

the arid chaconne of crude indifference.

​

It gave me desolate showers from the hills

tearing across blind lakes.

​

It robbed from me its gift of nothing.

My village gave me everything.