Guest Poem by Owen Bullock

Owen Bullock’s most recent publications are the chapbook, Impression (Beir Bua Press, 2022), and Uma rocha enorme que anda à roda (A big rock that turns around), translations of his tanka into Portuguese by Francisco Carvalho (Temas Originais, 2021). He has also published three collections of poetry; five books of haiku; and the novella, A Cornish Story. Originally from Cornwall, he lived for many years in Aotearoa New Zealand. He now teaches Creative Writing at the University of Canberra.

Mousehole

you ease out of the chimney
walk down the lane
fall out of dark cloud
into a boat
slide from blue shimmer
in a fix of sun over water
level the roof of the house
with your chest

heave the dinghy onto the harbour wall
smudge eyes with raindrops
collapse onto the slatted wooden seat
watch for hours
heavy mist run in
from rocks and coves
up streets and alleyways

nothing more than smoke now
congealed above an arching bridge
and you sing