This poem, taken from Head and Heart, blurs the distinction between bluebells in a wood and eye-to-eye lovers in bed. It aims to capture the feel of two souls merged into one.

Bluebells

It’s when we stretch on a bank

                                               in sunlight

 

                 or lie side-on in bed

    eye to eye

                 inches apart

 

    stop on the path

                        hearing birdsong

                                            face to face

 

                        and bluebells

                    just open

gazing each other

                              in sheets

          by the pool

 

                       on wood walks misted

    soft-mouthed and whispering

                                     in deep

                      where bluebells

                                   fill the eye

 

                                         absorbed

                 walking the shoreline

bell heads together

                              mouth to forehead

 

        bluebells in a wash

                              paused

        expressive

                   and half-star opened

 

eye-deep in a haze

                           dream head

                                        to dream head

          pillowed in a crush

 

  and birdnote-drifted

                                 cheek to cheek

               on a hillside

touching

           dusted with sunlight.

  

And this text-poem from Head and Heart begins with the man driving at dawn towards the woman’s house, exchanging texts. His arrival, imagined in advance and compared to early spring, awakens sexual thoughts which then turn, in the third section, into images of enduring love. Each haiku in the series is a complete text, suitable for transmission by mobile phone.

TEXT-HAIKU

1.

Love-lines, spaces, changes,

your fingers, messaging.

Bird song in darkness.

 

 

End-stops, pauses,

night thoughts in corners.

Snowdrop, iris, winter jasmine.

 

Driving, reading

as first skies open,

life-lines, fate-lines,

signalling love.

 

 

Film scenes passing

of young love, smiling,

drive-by in the shops.

New green shoots.

 

 

Mind’s eye, imagined,

arriving at your door,

dawnlight, mail shots, kisses.

2.

Tongue on flesh.

All night scrumping stalk and fruit.

An overwhelming sweetness.

 

 

Mouth on mouth.

Apricot, guava, star fruit, peach.

A taste of being you.

 

 

Red-brown turns,

love-dark, folded,

velvets, purples, blind spots, wings.

Your iris.

 

 

Big-rain-fleshed

with seed pods loaded,

wide-leaved, glistening,

my bean tree grows.

3.

Blue-shift, red-shift

and tunnelled into love:

your sunset standstill dream sets.

 

 

Word-spreads, run-ons, dances,

text-ends and blossom

uncurling on branches

 

 

your vows, your shows,

wintersweet, scilla, violets:

the first flush of stars.

 

Info

• Head and Heart is a series of 57 authentic and moving love poems, read by the poet on CD. It follows the story of two lovers who meet in later life. Professionally recorded in short tracks, with full accompanying text, it describes the lovers’ first encounter, their developing feelings and deepening relationship, taking in romance, sexuality and alopecia.

• £5.00 + £1.00 p&p for double CD and accompanying text. Order here: sales@LeslieTate.com