Issue 10: Nathan Thompson
oxygen
a lit candle unspeaks the dark
washed over blood cleanses
imagine me
is speaking
only to you
angled default comfort the machine exhales just one more time
expectant nothing drawn all is there is to draw on
*
legs so thin to sharp me
the lucid minutes
love is always
so you see
open mouthed for what are these for
thumped out air drowns the clock round
days yesterday today april june a birthday
can the turning back on your own
unaided the end talked through silent undressing
*
there you were among the roses
calling out
I try to come round
thought from prayer
defeated cells expanded into bubbling shadows
*
that was the last time standing
leaving never caught what you said
all the worry of effort
failing
not to write defeat
*
how the dreams come
try not to talk
*
what left to process deflected
ideas slick a typhoon circuit
tripped and scattered unreading pages
held carefully
injected
pain never hurts but it does this time uncomfortable
*
windows widows walls a bed
special treatment
only underground laboratory
hums the ship’s engines overheard paparazzi
held in going to kill animation
with big shadows you grow folded under
the room is full of
Nathan Thompson grew up in Cornwall and now lives in Hebden Bridge. He is studying for a PhD at the University of Salford, where he also works as a graduate teaching assistant. His two collections with Shearsman are The Visitor's Guest and the arboretum towards the beginning. He also has pamphlets out from Oystercatcher, Knives Forks and Spoons and Gratton Street Irregulars. Recent readings have included appearances in Berlin, Prague, Paris, London and Manchester. From 2008 to 2010 he ran PoAttic, a reading series featuring international poets at the Jersey Opera House
