All poetry, photographs and artwork © the individual artists who can be contacted through the links below

Monday 19 September 2011

Golden Thread Poets read at Wordpower Bookshop in the Edinburgh Book Fringe



Chrys Salt (left) and Tessa Ransford (below) along with Pauline Prior-Pitt, also read at Wordpower Bookshop as part of the Edinburgh Bookfringe, in August 2011.

(Photographs courtesy of Mike Knowles)






Uncle Bert

Uncle Bert could fold a hanky

and make a mouse run up his arm.

One flick of his forefinger,

it vaulted his sailor tattoos

and ran up to his shoulder


Uncle Bert could make a penny disappear

then re-appear behind your ear

And whichever card you picked from the pack

he always knew which one it was

even if you changed your mind and put

the one you first thought of

back.


We’d bet all our pocket money on which cup

Aunti Cis’s thimble was under. Concentrate like hawks

as he switched them on the shiny table-top.

We always lost, however hard we watched


When Uncle Bert ran out of tricks he’d joke

Bet you’ll be glad to see the back of me’

Then with one stunning magic masterstroke

He gave his skin the slip and ceased to be.


Where had he gone? I couldn’t understand

Gone from the room without his coat

A slick and shocking sleight of hand.

Now you see him. Now you don’t.


Chrys Salt


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