Sam Raine

Extraordinary poem

A Live Poetry Mix Tape Back in the day, we used to create mix tapes for our mates. Of course, they were really made up of the music we enjoyed listening to ourselv...

When Mat and I are working out what poets to invite to read with us at Rogue Strands events, it feels like we're generating our own Live Poetry Mix Tapes...

roguestrands.blogspot.com/2025/10/a-li...

I just got this down on paper and have posted without any editing whatsoever, so it’s messy but IMO the heart of it is there. I’ll repost once I’ve tidied it up.

that he's alright at the end?
Yes, I was saying without hesitation
I'm sure he's alright at the end.

You were sitting up, your eyes
were so wide. Are you sure
you were asking me again

except that he's tiny, the size
of a kidney bean, and I'm blowing
a whirlwind into his embryotic mouth

and then I have him again, I’m standing
on the stern of the ferry, calmly
giving mouth to mouth

Anyway then the kayak is the wrong
way up. I remember to dig my phone
out of my jeans pocket before I jump

but in this nightmare we aren't
imagining anything; we aren't
afraid of anything; we aren't

(what we imagine
is more real
than what's real)

There's no fear at all.
I'm not saying
there's nothing to be afraid of

There's seaspray and sunlight
and he's delightedly cutting
slices out of the water.

We are smiling. He
has got himself into a kayak
and he's on the water.

This is what I told you:
We are on a ship, huge,
going somewhere important.

That nightmare I told you about
—I was remembering honestly
apart from the bit at the end.

*I lied to you*

(poem thread)

After some redrafting

Thanks for the follow. Lovely poem. This is what it prompted for me. Just written quickly, will give it a proper edit later, but sharing now as I really enjoyed this moment of reading, relating, responding

an illustration of a penguin with the words you got this below it Alt: an illustration of a penguin with the words you got this below it

🚨 🚨 LAST DAY to submit to Glass: A Journal of Poetry!! 🚨 🚨

www.glass-poetry.com/journal/subm...

free book fair and gala show, over 50 publishers and authors all day reading
come and meet our authors
doors open 10 am Conway Hall WC1R 4RL Gala Show 6pm at The Square Pig more readings and open mic
Saturday 6th Sept 2025

Pause whatever you're doing and fall into this poem.

Below the kitchen window
your shell
lands on the pile.

You are prised,
draped in lemon and chilli,
laid on a bed of ice.

In starlight
you open like a mouth
and drink a sea.