fold:fall

Here's a recent poem that may have been mentioned in posts around the end of November. It was written on the way back from seeing Bardo Pond. Subsequently a short film to accompany a performance of it has been filmed and edited, but not posted here yet as the sound is atrocious and needs fixing.

fold:fall

i fold and i fall: i fold and i fall: i fold and i fall: i fold and i fall.
i walk to be sick three paces and stop
i fell from twelve storeys smashed ribs with my knee
bent double from running i'm tying my shoe.
i fold and i fall: i fold and i fall.
this moment reminds me of things that i've lost
i'm too weak to stand i'm punched in the neck
got a spasm of pain stooped to pick something up
knee popped out of joint or i just had to laugh
i'm dancing here i'm trying to cough.
i fold and i fall: i fold and i fall: i fold and i fall: i fold and i fall.
like a snatched photo or cctv
something remembered when you were a child
something that scared you or just crept inside
i'm pretending a leaf i need to pee
i'm frozen ecstatic or trying to hide.
i fold and i fall: i fold and i fall.
i'm angry at everything hungry and cold
i'm trying to get rid of this stuck to my hand
i'm reaching for keys there's an itch in my toe.
i fold and i fall: i fold and i fall: i fold and i fall: i fold and i fall.

mattdalby
29nov6