Poems

Song of the Torres Strait Islands Bold Torres, the sailor, came and went, with his swarthy, storm-worn band, he saw Saavedra’s Isle to north- to south […]

Along with Youth A porcupine skin, Stiff with bad tanning, It must have ended somewhere. Stuffed horned owl Pompous Yellow eyed; Chuck-wills-widow on a biased twig […]

Captives Some came in chains Unrepentant but tired. Too tired but to stumble. Thinking and hating were finished Thinking and fighting were finished Retreating and hoping […]

Champs D’Honneur Soldiers never do die well; Crosses mark the places — Wooden crosses where they fell, Stuck above their faces. Soldiers pitch and cough and […]

Chapter Heading For we have thought the larger thoughts And gone the shorter way. And we have danced to devil’s tunes, Shivering home to pray; To […]

I Like Americans By A Foreigner I like Americans. They are so unlike Canadians. They do not take their policemen seriously. They come to Montreal to […]

I like Canadians By A Foreigner I like Canadians. They are so unlike Americans. They go home at night. Their cigarettes don’t smell bad. Their hats […]

Montparnasse There are never any suicides in the quarter among people one knows No successful suicides. A Chinese boy kills himself and is dead. (they continue […]

Riparto D’Assalto Drummed their boots on the camion floor, Hob-nailed boots on the camion floor. Sergeants stiff, Corporals sore. Lieutenant thought of a Mestre whore — […]

The Age Demanded The age demanded that we sing And cut away our tongue. The age demanded that we flow And hammered in the bung. The […]