The Garden

Crochet filaments

Measure time,

Spaces,

Eau de Nil, cubed Queen Anne green,

Massed leaves. Capacity of sunlight

Fan-vaults this side of the sky,

Copper-cognac treen.

Solar flares,

Hurdy gurdies, hot or white;

I plant the seeds-

Sweet Williams, Canterbury Bells,

Mercerised caesuars-

As though I have the answer

To a universal need

Or just

A single lily,

Cicatricule of leaves.

Prism of lime pickle spice

Cusping a cloth of gold:

Salt chilli squid, magenta,

Bilateral harvest of crimson crabs.

It's the sun-fast colours that flavour-

Oil of Neroli, cafe granitas,

Tincture of Sedum Matrona;

Wine and my plasma brimming

A song of the day I was born.