Alan Halford

Ring a Ring no Rosary
Standing in a row
Waiting for the hand to fall
God's children take a bow.
...

I do not want to die on a Monday with rain raging down on my pain
my mind drifting back through a lather of dreams and fear grabbing hold of my name.

I do not want to die on a Tuesday it's the least of my favourite days
...

She placed it down-
Something you can leave behind she thought but wouldn't say
A green plant in a tub rested next to the bed
A lead laden hand stretched to touch its broken soil
...

Once beneath the Christmas tree
Granddad told to me
Santa left what was to see
His Teddy bear Henri.
...

'Santa' he whispered from behind a chair
as I sipped on a beer in a sunny Ghent sq
'Santa' once more with greater intent
now arms on my table and closer he lent.
...

The Well

Longer days offer hope.
From deep my waters feels fresh light
...

Oh what a night for childish delights
cycling through the back of night
sitting astride my grandfather’s bike
as we freewheeled all the way down.
...

She mangled my heart
The girl who cared for the sun.
...

What could walls tell now of Dylan Thomas
speak to me of love and death
of madness of a kind he sometimes knew
beneath the paper cracks of genius
...