Most Read... John McAuliffeBill Manhire in Conversation with John McAuliffe
(PN Review 259)
Patricia CraigVal Warner: A Reminiscence
(PN Review 259)
Joshua WeinerAn Exchange with Daniel Tiffany/Fall 2020
(PN Review 259)
Eavan BolandA Lyric Voice at Bay
(PN Review 121)
Vahni CapildeoOn Judging Prizes, & Reading More than Six Really Good Books
(PN Review 237)
Christopher MiddletonNotes on a Viking Prow
(PN Review 10)
Next Issue Sinead Morrissey 'The Lightbox' Philip Terry 'What is Poetry' Ned Denny 'Nine Poems after Verlaine' Sasha Dugdale 'On learning that Russian mothers buy their soldier sons lucky belts inscribed with Psalm 90 to wear into battle' Rod Mengham 'Cold War Hot Air'
Poems Articles Interviews Reports Reviews Contributors
Reader Survey
PN Review Substack

This poem is taken from PN Review 256, Volume 47 Number 2, November - December 2020.

Two poems, one in verse, one in prose Andrew Mears
Self-Portraits in Sneeze Glass

On a dinosaur hunt, tree roots wrenched up are the arcane script of a badger cult.
We had better turn away before we are drawn into their sett.

Sprouting leeks in yoga poses are the eyes of needles in the dirt, I tell him
Stacked clouds are happened rain longing to recur, more sour with each fall.

A magpie lifts from the bent stone wall, coughs-up and the spring-sky swallows. My child
In pyjamas and wellington boots, finds clandestine biscuits wrapped in blue foil.

He licks pink icing, flinches from a bee. Pine needles gyre downstream, get caught
...


Searching, please wait... animated waiting image