[Image by artist and photographer Nick Dormand]

In light of current pathetic observations being made about ‘woke’ sensibilities – e.g. the typically dismissive barb Wokerati – I was going to write a ‘Woke Blues’ poem and then I remembered the gist of what I wanted to say had already been made long ago: apt and poignant then; apt and poignant now

Me: this meters! Me: this meters!

This is exemplification –
I mean, of course, that

this matters!

A word sentence.

Once you is unacceptably poor writing
let’s be clear

this is a disturbingly meaningless meter.

No, that isn’t poetry.

This is, however,
with both meters, as in this perfect line,

and a metaphor.

Me: missing after ‘their’.

No, I am not,
but you have

when you wrote what you had written.

Me: let’s be clear – this suggests MPAN 2200019111453.

That there are two meters
companies are unable to support miscommunication –

but do not hesitate to contact back the meters.

Please be advised:

the physical transference implied
was the exemplification of miscommunication regarding

serial number 6719188.

[Image by artist and photographer Nick Dormand]

Read and/or download Viscid, a collection of Nick Dormand/Mike Ferguson collaborations 2016-2019.

So pleased to have my poem ‘biblical laughter’ here at International Times today – thank you. And a big thanks for the wonderful illustration by Rupert Loydell.