Made Strange By Time

Made Strange by Time comprises lyric poetry inspired by the poet’s awareness of the curious
ways in which the passage of time affects us. The tone is reflective, sometimes
philosophical and often with a wry, self-deprecatory humour. Achieving a degree
of timelessness by its mix of traditional forms, Made Strange by Time covers subjects from the
personal to the universal to the everyday - memories of childhood; love and
longing; fear of the future; thoughts on a country walk; a shop closing
down. By turns poignant, thought-provoking,
and gently comic, the collection will have a broad appeal.

Putting the Clocks Back

Winter’s harvesting autumn from the trees;

Another infection has wheeled you away.

In your apartment, on my hands and knees,

I curse the heating’s digital display,

Which seems to think I’m fluent in Chinese

And somehow turns an hour into a day.

I see it now, you coming
home to freeze

And die – all for a single hour’s delay.

If only we were back in clockwork times

And you were still the winder to and fro,

Counting down at
six the wireless chimes

Then smoothing out the seconds, fast and slow.

If only we had stuck at yesterday,

And I’d no need to take this hour away.