World Poetry Proudly Presents Alan Hill from Canada and England!

Alan Hill reading his poem

 We are pleased to welcome back Alan Hill to the World Poetry Cafe Radio Show with hosts Ariadne Sawyer and Jason Lawrence.  He is one of our honoured participants from the City of Richmond, BC. Canada. He also had a poem on display at the World Poetry Poetic Necklace at UBC and the Richmond Cultural Centre. To Listen To The Radio Interview: CLICK HERE!

  This is a poem from his new book The Upstairs Country by Silver Bow Publishing. To buy Alan’s book: http://www.alibris.com/stores/silverbow

The Art of Pruning

My aged aunt
has snipped me into twigs,
clipped me
into memories
too tiny to be seen,
seeded herself
though holes in time,
mulched history
composted the air.

Cousins, sisters, parents
fertilized and re-alive
dragging their new shoots
over my muddy rugs,
inviting themselves over
in unfashionable clothes

with their dated opinions,

embarrassing knowledge
of my bad habits,
bringing me down
with Victorian prayers,
annoying sing songs

around the piano
that I don’t even have.

A great uncle
who disappeared
on the Somme

is sucking air from my lungs
performing the kiss of death
taking me in mouthfuls
spitting me    

from a bedroom window
sharpening
the
shovel of my voice,
slitting open the spring air
like a love letter.

Alan Hill ©