Rachel Burns

Wildflowers

The sky is a blank canvass

chalky-white lifeless

outside I can see slate grey

roofs of the neighbours' houses

the village green

and the children’s swing frame

and the flowers are all gone

just the red berries on the juniper remain

reminding me of red cherry lip gloss

I wore to my first school disco

At Our Lady’s Immaculate

dancing with John- Paul

who last I heard joined the army.

I have the radio on in the background

and I hear the song

wildflowers

and I’m sorting out chapters

re-reading the words

my protagonist sailing her boat

out to sea- the white sail

buffering against the wind

the whole time fighting the tide

sailing the wrong way

the whole time fighting the waves

words disappearing like a blur from the page.

Rachel Burns is a poet and playwright living in Durham City, England. She is currently an Arvon/Jerwood mentee in playwriting. Poems published in UK literary magazines. Shortlisted in competitions Mslexia, Writers' & Artists Yearbook and The Keats- Shelley Poetry Prize 2017.