TREES ON BEAR ROAD

poems by

Brendan Cleary

Sunk Island Publishing

Trees On Bear Road Brendan Cleary, 2008 ISBN 978 ! 87"778 #! 8 Published by Sunk Island Publishing 7 $ee %&enue, 'eighing(on $in)oln, $N" !*+ Co&er design, (ypography and e&ery(hing else by Narry No&ak

Trees on Bear Road an 8,!! -a&ouri(e obliges bu( no( (he ne.( s(upid animal only had (o /ump a -en)e so I0m on (he bars(ool s(udying The Post ordering pin(s on (he sla(e 1 s(aring a( her (he 2ay her hips mo&e 1 )hasing (he dogs )ould ha&e been my sa&iour bu( -u)ked i( in a s)rimmage on (he bend or pho(o -inish so high abo&e (he )louds I0ll disappear as i- gas or (he sligh(es( blemish o- dus( 2hirling in (he sunbeams a( (he 2indo2 2hi)h should look ou( on (he esplanade bu( only on (he gra&eyard 1 (rees al2ays Sainsbury0s bags draped on (he bran)hes 1 (he shapes o- (he hands o- los( )hildren

Wisdom Consider (his he has a plum dra2 1 )an grab (he rail is unde-ea(ed 1 has 3allon up 2ho is de(ermined 2i(h (he ground per-e)( so ho2 )ome (hen I0m smokin0 *on0s (abs 1 I o2e (he baili--s some (eam in Nor(hamp(on nearly 2000 4uid 1 i- I don0( -ind regular 2ork my beau(i-ul girl-riend is goin0 (o lea&e me

Gift 2as i( my dila(ed pupils ga&e (he game a2ay or (he smell o- old 'olborn in my hair 1 I0d 2orked hard all o- (he morning on (he bar s(ool 2i(h The Racing Post /us( (o bring you (ha( -lo2er pink 1 in)redibly rare

The Bar Girls (ell ye 2ha( lasses I0ll lea&e my hear( pi)kled in a )ara-e abo&e (he op(i)s 1 you )an 2a()h i( makin0 (oas(ies as blood dries up 1 goes smeggy bu( I0m 5 -oo( a2ay -rom shaggin0 you bu( i(0s 5 -oo( under (he beergarden 2here you handed me li((le 2raps 1 moaned abou( your spo((y boy-riend his S)o((ish -oo(ball -i.a(ion 1 porn or o- (he sensi(i&e (ype 2i(h (he anorak 1 (he hair)u( you (hough( )u(e bu( la(er (o my hear( admi((ed 2as really s(upid

Brightonia on your roo-(op smokin0 2eed 1 you (old me I 2as (he same age as your +a 1 he 2as bearing up be((er (han I 2as so I looked o&er Brigh(onia 1 de)ided (here 1 (hen no( (o pursue i( or you -or (ha( ma((er

Early Days I0m abou( !2 on (he la2n ga(hering -lo2ers I gi&e (o Saman(ha my )ousin0s -riend o&er -rom 'ornsea 2i(h her blond hair 1 (his is (he s(ar( o- some(hing I 2ish 2ould ne&er disappear

Light Years Sunday a-(er (he )hao(i) par(y 2hen you 1 some young -u)ker disappeared ou( (o (he bal)ony 1 I (old you 2eeping on (he s(airs I 2an(ed (o pun)h his ligh(s ou( 1 (here I am spra2led on (he so-a 2a()hing $i&erpool 6 7an Ci(y as you 2ash your hair 2i(h 3airy (hen 2eigh in in a (igh( blue dress 1 s(ar( boun)ing up on (he -u(on reminding me o- 8abriel 6enning 1 ho2 unob(ainable you0d al2ays be in my al)ohol ha9e 1 in (he )urry house I (old you I deeply -eared your absen)e

May Afternoon on (he blue pillo2s you bough( I lie ba)k under (he shel2i(h old )asse((es lu)ky s(ones 1 a pho(o o- my dad during (he 2ar (hinking o- you posing 1 smiling a( (he mirror 1 loads o- o(her s(u-i( 2on0( do me any good a( all (o men(ion

Pa l!s E" you mo&ed around in )ir)les making a )omple(e (2a( o- yoursel1 Paul i- he had any gump(ion 2ould drop you bu( he0s so-( 1 e&en on (he )oa)h ba)k home (hrough Ches(er $e S(ree( you 2ere s(ill holding )our( e.posing (he (op o- your (i(s (o anyone 2i(hou( a brain 1 (here are plen(y deares( /us( read any )rappy ne2spaper /us( (ake a 2alk in (he park

Poem #or R i( 2as a sunny a-(ernoon probably a :uesday 2hen I (ied you up be)ause you 2an(ed me (o 1 I had a silk s)arI bough( in a )hari(y shop bu( i( did -or a blind-old 1 la(er 2e had pi99a or I (hink i( 2as pi99a

S$lit my suspi)ions are aroused 2hen she )alls unannoun)ed on a 2e( :uesday a-(ernoon as I smoke a one skinner s(aring do2n a( mad (ra--i) (hinking o- her red hair (he (ime she (ou)hed my )heek in a -ield in Coun(y 7ayo 2i(h only some )o2s 2a()hing 1 no2 she 2an(s her 2onderbra s(ashed a2ay in my se)e( dra2er 1 she de-ini(ely needs i( (onigh( (o go ou( 2i(h -lakey Caroline 1 2ha(e&er drama (ha( en(ails

Tea (ime I bough( you an apple pas(ry so le(0s slip o-(he (urmoil o;.-ord S(ree( 1 (ake (his )u( a( (he (ra--i) ligh(s my hand round your 2ais( do2n (o Soho

En Ro te I s(and (rans-i.ed a( 6i)(oria s(a(ion 2a()hing (he boards -li)kering again 1 (hinking abou( (he li((le moles you ha&e (he shape o- your ne)k your blue (a((oo

The Ne% &ent ry some millennium i( (urned ou( mee(ing <eremy a( opening (ime in (ha( grim bar up Shields *oad 1 he0d already had = 2hiskies a( home he said 2i(h his dad 1 (hen pro)eeded (o ne)k 5 pin(s o- some dodgy 8> gear -alling o&er on (he kerb -la( on his -a)e spli((ing his lip on (he bridge near Byker 3arm 1 ba)k a( mine I (old him 0s(op (aking pills ye ee/i(0 bu( (ha( /us( spun him a2ay in(o (he (ale o- Chris(mas ?&e (ipping ba)k2ards o-- (he s(ool up in :he :ren( 1 passing ou( 1 (hen a( some ga-- in Spi(al :ongues 2hen his brea(hing s(opped (hey ga&e him a sho( o- )oke a Pulp 3i)(ion /ob 1 all (his be)ause (he nigh( be-ore in (he /akes o- :he :anners (his guy a( (he urinal (urned round 1 s(ared &omi(ed 2hi(e bile (he insides o- his s(oma)h (hen )rashed on (he (iles 1 died (here 1 (hen righ( in -ron( o- him

S n' (sland Titles Eskeleth And Apples, 7i)hael Bla)kburn Lets Build A City, 7i)hael Bla)kburn Trees On Bear Road, Brendan Cleary %ll a( @#A=0 ea)h, )he4ues payable (o 7i)hael Bla)kburn, Sunk Island Publishing, 7 $ee %&enue, 'eighing(on, $in)oln, $N" !*+, BCA ;r &ia PayPalD
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'ank Filliams on a)id is ho2 Brendan Cleary 2as on)e des)ribedA Sin)e !98= he has been assailing (he poli(e 2orld o- poe(ry 2i(h his bi((ers2ee( poems ohope and disappoin(men(A 'is may be a (alen( Ggoing (o 2as(eH bu( i(Hs -rui(-ully done and 2e are (he ri)her -or i(A Bar s(ools, beers, horses, girls and -oo(ball IGsome (hings hur( more, mu)h more (han )ars and girlsAAAH 2ell, more (han )ars, bu( no( girlsJD (his is (he (erri(ory o- (he no( so lu)ky, (he passion 2ra)ked, (he lo&e 2re)ked, (he -e)kless, (he unre)ognised ar(is(s o(he bedroom and (he gu((er, and (he enemies oregular 2orkA Some o- (he poems in (his )olle)(ion are (o appear in Brendan ClearyHs ne.( -ull leng(h book, Some Turbulent Weather, published by (all ligh(house pressD h((pD,,222A(all ligh(houseA)oAuk,

@#A=0 ISBN 978 ! 87"778 #! 8