It was a capital offence To pick up scattered grains of corn My mother was executed For such a ghastly crime of greed But I survived those terrible years Many died but I ate the leftover rats rotting And drank the acid waters From the blank putrid sewers I am now a minor official in…

I was a late guest of times past But this residence has now ended And I am without the hollow bells That would have mourned my passing

Sue Met Du Fu Pale Blue Near the Zoo

Du Fu Met Sue Pale Blue Near the Zoo

The artist Georgie has lent me her studio As she now paints in Berlin Her studio is much bigger than my London studio And I am using the bright white Kent light To a great advantage in a series of small paintings I have become friends with the writer Joe Who has promised to sit…

The artist Georgie invited us to her studio But we had to wear costumes From the South Seas I came as Paul Gauguin Paulette accompanied me Dressed as a man In a floppy brown suit We left at two in the morning Quite sober as neither of us drank This get together inspired me to…

My former home is slowly Sinking into the green mire I am standing on its flat roof My name is Juliet Barber A foul industrial landscape Completely surrounds me It smells of rotting chemicals The air is thick rancid and grey I cannot see that far As the smog is ocean deep In a week…

Earlier today I saw a star Hiding in the clouds I found this very strange And tried to take a photo But a frog had eaten my phone

What is that Joe It is a pad and a blue pen What are you writing I am not writing I am talking to you Why are you in the bathroom Joe Because you are in the bath And I am talking to you It is going to be one of those days Joe What…

I love the summer But her cousin winter Is also rather beautiful She is very temperamental And rather unpredictable I try to ignore her bleak moods Which is often quite difficult White Blood Black Blood