Reader, she married him.

Reader, She Married Him

By Helen Barter

Ignore that remnant of the past, 

screaming from the roof, and

walking the corridors after dark.

Did she leave because he lied?

What if he had told her?

Would they simply have pined

for that which they could not have?

Lived a life frustrated.

Screaming in unison with 

the anguished soul of another?

She would not accept

the remainder of him.

What if he had asked her?

Turn a blind eye to attic-bound death 

in exchange for sight and freedom?

What if he had asked her that?

Was that punishment for his lies

or absolution for his sins?

Reader, she married him.

The burnt and beautiful remains of him.

Not the remainder.

Regret

Regret

By Helen Barter

Out, damned spot! out, I say!

Here's the mark of regret still:  

All the lasers of Harley Street

Will not sweeten this misjudgement.

I must bear the scar.

What's done cannot be undone .....

1970's Mere

1970's Mere

by Helen Barter

And there we were

you and me, in a beautiful pea-green 

paddle boat.

Bright red handles of

innocence turning 

water 

churning 

as

bare knee brushes bare knee

and the sun shines.

Edison's Elephant

Edison's Elephant

By Helen Barter

All the fun of the fair.

Smile for the camera.

Smile damn you, smile.

Smile as the foetid smoke rises

from between your toes.

Smile as you fall; darkly.

Rigor mortis

stiffens my resolve

as well as your tortured body.

Tess

Tess

by Helen Barter

Memories of reading Hardy; 

obsessional Fairytale hunting -

Ignoring the text.

The only word to register is 

lovemaking.

Angel is not mine.

By the hairs on my chinny chin chin, 

I will not let you in.

Tears fall onto tombstones

as the christmas bell tolls.

Tussle

Tussle

by Helen Barter

I want nights of tussle.

Fighting over the duvet for warmth.

Generating heat.

I want days of tussle.

Fighting over thoughts and ideas.

Igniting flames.

I want evenings of tussle.

Using reignited flames to light

independent candles of ...

Life.

But we can't always have

what we want.

Luggage Labels

The "Windowful of Pockets" needs an extra frame and labels in the pockets to write the names for the running order. Felix, the editor of "Pocketful of Windows" likes it!! I am so pleased!