publication fothcoming:   Pratik, Summer 2007 (guest-editor Pascale Petit)

Columbaire

Ninety-seven towers of pigeons

are under my sway, My Lady,

I'm the one who names them,

who decrees the colour

their wings are to be painted this year,

and all the routes they race on—

They will eat sweet almonds from your hand,

Duessa,

sip milk from the pewter stoup

you dip and lift without spilling a drop,

they'll watch you from their many-arched towers at night,

My Lady, as you walk the moon-smooth path nearby

So says the Columbaire, when he comes to me

Penelope Shuttle

last update:

photo by Lyn Moir

e-mail Penelope

poetry favourites:
Bloodaxe,
Poetry Archive,
Poetry International,
Poetry Society,
Poetry School,
Falmouth Poetry Group

and in the shop ...
collections -
"Redgrove's Wife",
Bloodaxe;

"Adventures with my Horse",
PBS Back in Print series;

"A Leaf Out of His Book",
Oxford University / Carcanet;

joint pamphlet -
"October Guests",
fal publications

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