Ralph Hawkins
Poem
I always intended to write about von Humboldt
but not now
the instance of the world being so pressing
who is the most wasteful?
those with the most
until we run out
queuing to climb a mountain
and there on the moon an obsolete tin-opener
snow-capped precipitation or
the Andes, the flowers and the butterflies
high investment risk!
mapping this
home / Cadiz May 2019
goldfinch in two lands
the air sparked by song
numbed by the heat
and the smell of strange places
with bee pollen in 30ml bottles
there are a few of them at the bridge pleading
black rice from squid ink
who keeps who safe, secure, healthy
the wind giving us shadow
Poem, the moon turning several colours / tides
smothered by bright daylight
their blue tips appear glum and mottled
tinged peaks - the clouds undulate like a great sea
they crest forward a daily value
you can see its beauty in vivid light
a new life, perhaps
the moon turning several colours
the need to survive and live again
crossing an ocean
the boat scoring the water
failing to need less so mothered
in mixed company
pacified by lack
papers thrown overboard, adrift
the past swirls when we land
each one eager, peaceful
to see oneself forgiven and uplifted
the hut made of wooden planks
I will answer their questions carefully
I know why I made this journey
Poem, the leaves fawn
the leaves
we heard them, we saw their faces
could hardly in the turbulence of the air flow they cowered
imagine their sighs lilting
vexed as they move to the front gate
they will stay there for a while, they will
they hang underneath the loose vine
hearing the drift of an engine
and a whiff of new-mown hay
distant flashes of traffic
they must go now
very slight with the movements of dust in the air
the risen hay seed and pollen irritating the lining
tell me all about it
they who were talking
they who are ready now to come in from such quiet
para las uvas de la granja
so joyous so sweet
An Economic Residuum
if you fancy a drink there are plenty to choose from
a world of hats, bread and coal
it floats! pin head
soon we will be able to grow tails
then we can cultivate roses and look after chickens
gallina gallica gentilana gigantia
all our thoughts will be read
putting each in touch with an algorithmic soul
oxygen our final resource
suckers
Some words
my favourite thing is to go from where I’ve been
for me there’s something about arriving
sometimes I get that sinking feeling
I get this moment of panic
I’ve got here and I’m nowhere at all
sometimes I see a painting and think no
that’s not the way it is
I used to get this notion that the minute I say
anything it’s not true – then I’d have
to go someplace else
I have a sense of being immune and that nothing
is fixed and you can still look the other way
things never unfold like you think they do
I ended up there instead of here and here instead of there
I saw myself once on Brixton Road and I knew
I just knew he was a friend of yours
I was there and it wasn’t me or vice versa
I always intended to write about von Humboldt
but not now
the instance of the world being so pressing
who is the most wasteful?
those with the most
until we run out
queuing to climb a mountain
and there on the moon an obsolete tin-opener
snow-capped precipitation or
the Andes, the flowers and the butterflies
high investment risk!
mapping this
home / Cadiz May 2019
goldfinch in two lands
the air sparked by song
numbed by the heat
and the smell of strange places
with bee pollen in 30ml bottles
there are a few of them at the bridge pleading
black rice from squid ink
who keeps who safe, secure, healthy
the wind giving us shadow
Poem, the moon turning several colours / tides
smothered by bright daylight
their blue tips appear glum and mottled
tinged peaks - the clouds undulate like a great sea
they crest forward a daily value
you can see its beauty in vivid light
a new life, perhaps
the moon turning several colours
the need to survive and live again
crossing an ocean
the boat scoring the water
failing to need less so mothered
in mixed company
pacified by lack
papers thrown overboard, adrift
the past swirls when we land
each one eager, peaceful
to see oneself forgiven and uplifted
the hut made of wooden planks
I will answer their questions carefully
I know why I made this journey
Poem, the leaves fawn
the leaves
we heard them, we saw their faces
could hardly in the turbulence of the air flow they cowered
imagine their sighs lilting
vexed as they move to the front gate
they will stay there for a while, they will
they hang underneath the loose vine
hearing the drift of an engine
and a whiff of new-mown hay
distant flashes of traffic
they must go now
very slight with the movements of dust in the air
the risen hay seed and pollen irritating the lining
tell me all about it
they who were talking
they who are ready now to come in from such quiet
para las uvas de la granja
so joyous so sweet
An Economic Residuum
if you fancy a drink there are plenty to choose from
a world of hats, bread and coal
it floats! pin head
soon we will be able to grow tails
then we can cultivate roses and look after chickens
gallina gallica gentilana gigantia
all our thoughts will be read
putting each in touch with an algorithmic soul
oxygen our final resource
suckers
Some words
my favourite thing is to go from where I’ve been
for me there’s something about arriving
sometimes I get that sinking feeling
I get this moment of panic
I’ve got here and I’m nowhere at all
sometimes I see a painting and think no
that’s not the way it is
I used to get this notion that the minute I say
anything it’s not true – then I’d have
to go someplace else
I have a sense of being immune and that nothing
is fixed and you can still look the other way
things never unfold like you think they do
I ended up there instead of here and here instead of there
I saw myself once on Brixton Road and I knew
I just knew he was a friend of yours
I was there and it wasn’t me or vice versa
© Copyright Ralph Hawkins 2019
Ralph Hawkins' most recent book is It Looks Like an Island But Sails Away (Shearsman 2015). There are two further collections from Shearsman, The Moon The Chief Hairdresser (highlights) (2004) and Gone To Marzipan (2009). His interview with Ted Berrigan can be found in Talking in Tranquility (Avenue B, USA 1991). His visual work has been published by Writers Forum and Exact Rubber Bridges (Slack Buddha Press, USA 2004) including collaborations with Bob Cobbing and Quaoar (2006) with Alan Halsey and Kelvin Corcoran. This is his fifth appearance in Molly Bloom.