White Whale Review: Christopher Barnes

CHRISTOPHER BARNES

Christopher Barnes is a poet and artist actively engaged in the UK arts and LGBT communities. His collection Lovebites was published by Chanticleer Press in 2005, and his work has appeared in Poetry Scotland and Jacket Magazine. He has worked in radio and filmmaking and frequently participates in readings. In 1998, he won a Northern Arts writers award.

From the Current Issue

Christopher Barnes

THE RECYCLERS

Boys heavy-eyed on the hay,

budging, spring – they’ll step

to the ladder of morning,

warily cold-shouldering the doorposts,

stretching from their nest

- a discarded Coke can –

to swim the hours till noon.

Against fun-loving wind

is the punched out way in.

Fizzy sunlight rims factory-built

aluminium.

Tube-vault grey fits to the decking,

a dross of patted hay.

Distant, a whistle of rivers

flat-out to piers.