Eric Ratcliffe Poems

Like a live signal, a poet should compress her
into a star-cluster in some constellation
for Shaw to admire - for this is another Eliza,
brash, honey-haired, a tawny thruster
...

Your copper hair gew slowly like coral
as rock-light awoke your body to glory
to walk one-hip-high through tropical nights
with eyes slanting wild harmony;
...

Was the cave sweet at the end, Eucia?
Come, naked-on-moss, little one,
white and marine, to the cirque of your father.
...

Her beating heart in atoms lies,
so freedom lives when freedom dies.
When moment cannot lengthen day
the pastel flesh must fade away
...

O naked river spy,
iron in your singing voice,
watching a Dover bird hovering,
rising from your skins,
...

What early earth faith was perpetuated
in states of green, hand on tree bole,
the simple touch of foot upon the ground?
...

The five-age walls feel the wind from blue waters
overhung in the cool witch-chimney,
and the ghost heart of a summer wife, waking,
has recalled the sleepy fables
...

The night has grown with the stars
and, lke the willow children
of the Catuvellauni
who rested their faces
...

Shuffling shadows of fire fingers
torchlit, scribing picture magic on stone pages;
caveborn children, naked, squatting,
watching the advent of wall-sacred art
...

Wave tops like running diamonds
arise, break down, arise again.
The waters of dream bays of history
undulate with warrior pieces,
...