Friday, May 24, 2019

Three Poems by Jonathan Butcher


Retracted Pride

//Back when drizzle of rain, only heard, straight through
failing to break this. That false those statements, 
superiority we attempt, backs straightened with contact,
failing to break this spill over like broken so reliant upon
from rotting barrels.Those faces against grey mass 
of steel the pavements and promises of ill....straight
through the sober minute, they slowly echo toilet
wall, stifle vulgar patch-work in all-consuming flag;
they sit complacent, but we have now all of maintenance,
and float yet refuse, the shop doors to those faces tempting 
fate, each crumbling with mandrakes the cobble stones 
from pollen never redeemable.... weeping wound, that 
hangover soliloquies ring that tears without protest. 
now as dark as feet nimble, mounted tables decades 
was now slowly, brittle as still within homes, those 
flowers and walls recited, faulty ruse dusts over any
uneven by design, that light now basking; finally mastered//







Strewn
Back drop of tire torn green cross roads
splitting horizon, the steel balconies
clamped on orange brick new builds, 
black spray-paint not yet faded over
wood. Circular mud patches, chairs 
strewn heavily; wicker baskets empty
among holes, faded flag of carpet at 
half mast practising indolence; mattered
ends, melted blue plastic seeped out 
through concrete, cracked like lake beds
dry, ash like blue glimmer through twigs, 
brick turret unarmed, tires looped in 
carcasses as yet eviscerated without rot.  
Everything just about questioned outside;
can and bottle, melded aluminium harmony
without melody, warning in splashed yellow; 
excessive voltage.







Smudge of Ash

Embedded within favours
     pressure points in ribs
each finger caught in sharpened 
edges, that reach; muscles struggle
     at  the best of times. 
bulbs remain lit, remotely excusable
pernicious doctrine, related back 
     without haste. 







Jonathan Butcher is a poet based in Sheffield. He has had work appear in various print and online publications including: Popshot, Ex-Ex Literature, The Transnational, Sick-Lit, Drunk Monkeys, The Morning Star, Mad Swirl and others. He edits the online poetry journal 'Fixator Press', through which his third chapbook, 'Corroded Gardens' was published.   

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