Requiem I
The city gives way to fields full of greenhouses,
residue of first frost hidden in the hedgerow
and I am rocked by the train’s lullaby.
How could I have known it would come to this?
Requiem II
C, B, F, A, G, D, WW, W, L, S, S, P, H, B
Fifteen letter alphabet spelling out the litany of a life I did not know
in the heady brain cocaine fuelled days of success.
Fifteen letters sounding out a requiem for a life long gone,
its existence verified by the letter.
Notice of final royalties;
your book is out of print
2nd draft:
Requiem I
City gives way to fields of greenhouses,
residue of first frost hidden in hedgerow.
I am rocked by the train’s lullaby.
How could I have known it would come to this?
Requiem II
C, B, F, A, G, D, WW, W, L, S, S, P, H, B
Fifteen letter alphabet spelling out the litany of a life I did not know
in the heady brain cocaine fuelled days of success.
Fifteen letters sounding out a requiem for a life long gone,
its existence verified by the mail.
Notice of final royalties;
your book is out of print
I would italicise last line in part II and consider losing some of the small words in part I – and us etc just to tighten and enhance? The poetry is a really exciting development to the project, these are excellent.
I agree, interesting how such tiny changes improve it quite a lot. Thank you.