Birds Edge
Dearne dips quietly under a gust
gust, ancient immigrant,
economic refugee, ancient
unease, at home when
never-at-home,
middle-name is Flit.
the gypsy gust a
strobe works trees
industrial estates prevails
Shanty town gust prevails
wherever industry
lays down its casual hat
reports it’s got a shotgun
sees you here again,
not responsible.
Gust knows where you live,
shoulders door,
that cracks garden into splinters
as if you’ve committed •••

Birds Edge
Dearne avoids gust
says, “You don’t want some of my old crap!”
gust words never said,
words never made,

to any that’ll listen.
Gust howls down the valley
Caresses compliments one minute,
calls you a bitch, a bastard
whore next.

rules for occupation:
take military road across river.
long stride over flood plain
to other side.
Divide spoils of valley
into three wapentakes,
Three bureaucracies
sort file your differences.

Unhindered supply lines provide frontier:
  wall between decency those
Roads/provide fast delivery goods
policing. Better surface for occupation.

 Stories half told, half received.
 Other roads not fully travelled not recommended destination, but bad precedent.
It will be difficult for natives
to utter ‘Never again’.
Remember victors decide
doctrine, creed,
authorised version.
Alternative histories
always considered after camber
of original if possible,
absorbed. After all,
every home
should have its’ midden.
A place to offload waste of decency.
 Dearne can be allowed uncontrollability
within limits decided
by our history.
A river can be drained
provide improved delivery
by our convoys.
Route decided.
No deviation,
 use terrain
respect aims objectives.
Aim: Exploitation
Objective: all areas resources,
soft hard targets.

Dearne
rise Coal-age forts in new grass

Grass, new arrival, begins belong, is removed.

New buildings rise
locally known as Employment.

Before grass there was grass
growing on clay,
above ancient forests.
Grass for long-horned cattle
provide milk, meat
to calloused hands.

Quiet Dearne flowed slowly by.

Purchased grass removed
miners who dig own graves
leave soil at pitside.

Their own graves built Coal-age forts.
Purchased grass turns yellow
under canvas tents,
is removed for line of houses
all same.

Miners provide
bread family.
Their own grave they dig in shifts with calloused hands.It is hell.