Michael Shepherd

Yes, there’s hope for hypocrites –

from the goodness of their heartsof the good, the true, the beautiful;out of the chaos of the well-intentionedand sometime messy life;hypocrite readers, who turnto those same poets for reminders ofthe good, the true, the beautifulout of the chaos of the well-intentionedand sometimes messy life;(hypocrite editors, dare we add, who,knowing the good, the true, the beautiful,turn…

Between two who are talking;

in the listeningafter wisdom spoken;the moment as the pen’s put down;the moment after the book is lowered;between two thoughts;just before speech;as cup’s put back on saucer;knife and fork sing plate;just before the inward breath,and just after the outward breath,between the warm memoryand the fond association;just before the smile is smiled;when the last tear has dropped;just…

His open eyes, one catching the sun,

they still function optically:recording, unmoved, unmoving, my presence;this dead soldier, sodden in the ditch,half his body peaceful, as ifwelcoming his death; the other halfunmentionable; animals must eat;his eyes recording my presence, yetthe brain now with no needto question whether I’m the enemy; or friend;the medic; the man who’s just shot him several timesat close range,…

From my extended family,

‘It’s joost not FURR! ’…Whingers all? Ah – but listento the sound behind those words…this is not the ‘Yokshire’ voice,standing square on the earthas if it always owned it…this is the sound of centuries –two at least – of men’s sense of injustice:forced off the herding on the lovely hills,the fresh cleansing air, orthe market…

Dear Li Po

for Poemhunterabout drinking – and alone at that – without mentioningthat it’s Saint Patrick’s Daywhen drinkers seldom drink alonefor the craic’s the thingso next time you have to drink aloneexcept for your shadow,notice that your shadowunder the light of the Moon,dances more drunkenly, and sooner– happy shadow –than you. You haven’t noticed?Then perhaps you’re thinkerthan…