Skip to main content

Part of a Poem to Celebrate Your Next Birthday

by Gerry Murphy

 

As soon as you came in

I wanted to celebrate hugely

I wanted to leap into the small

blue vase and send the daffodils

flying I wanted to prostrate myself

along the bar in homage to your svelte

perfection I wanted to convince 

the barman of the absolute significance

of the moment I wanted the Carnival of Rio

to emerge exuberant from the toilet

I wanted to invent vertigo

I wanted to exude Revolution

I wanted to sprout red flags

I wanted to bequeath the entire

left side of my body to the people

of Leningrad I wanted to depart

there and then for anywhere in Siberia

within warm and easy reach

of your fully-extended arms.

 

Quarryman

Top