Naked boy Poem by Frances Presley

1

nest more
perforce
range up

naked boy
nay nay ced
head truculent cede

it has its spine
like a boy leaning
like a boy stripped bare

a green coat for the quartz
a pelt
let us pelt



2

the naked boy
rests into the stone
put him up against

what did he say

he's disappearing
he's going to turn right
he's climbing over the gate

two bodies that prop each other up
one animal one human



3

fossilised face
worn down
ossified
turn away

we have gone down
we have gathered
we have emerged

watching the wind farm

leave
drink
protest

high flown pheasant



4

he holds a lap
it shapes a lap

shIPS that we need?

SHAPES

shiplap
just the common name for over
lapping
slates and plates

we have overlapped





Naked Boy, a Neolithic standing stone on Exmoor
12 April 2007