June English

June English founded Dover and Deal’s Split the Lark Poetry Festival, is widely-published and has two full collections. Her pamphlet, Counting the Spots, was short-listed for BBC’s ‘New Voices’ programme. She is Poet in Residence to Sing for your Life.

Family Day, June 1967

A picnic on the beach
at Whiffen Spit, you and me,
a chance to build those bridges,
the ones that Father Fahey
talked about, but never opened up.

Our sons paddling in rock pools,
excited by seaweed and snails;
me calling, See what we’ve found.
That moment, when the world spun
and you stood still.
 
The picnic, laid out in Tupperware:
brown-bread sandwiches, prawn and tuna,
little one shouting, Come and get it.
The offered plate still hanging there…
 
The three of us, huddled together,
our eldest bringing the bag,
helping me through in his grownup way.
Wanting you with us, fearing the words
you didn’t speak…
You on the harbour side, unapproachable
as the bald eagle, warily stripping flesh
from a beached Chinooks salmon.
Ready to fly…

June English

Poem published in Agenda, Vol.42 No 1. Chosen poem, Independent on Sunday , July 9th 2006

Publications:
Counting the Spots, Acumen
The Sorcerer’s Arc, Hearing Eye, ISBN No. 1870841 09 3

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