Two Poems By: Phoebe Power

New writing on The Quietus this week comes courtesy of two new poems by Phoebe Power

sex and love with the soon-to-be accountant


REFLECTIONS: TO RELY ON IN HIS NEW JOB


sets of suits and clear

surfaces, pairs of socks in black

and black, vehicular ease, swivel

chairs, wrapped

sandwiches and selfies secure

and hairless, you may be sure of it,

card’s slide out,

regular payment, her legs on screens

duplicated

you look good in black and white


WEAPONS: WITH WHICH SHE THREATENS HIM


her tongue, kissing him all over,

hands on his lovely long hands, his own

beautiful hands hurt him, her purple-coloured

self that goes and grows


with this mirrored body

I just find you attractive


get the payment, slide the card in,

black lingerie and – depend on it –

bronzer, no hair, wrapped

sandwich, swivel chair, socks,

suit, surface. She’s gone.

No picture to play;

wiped memory.




what young india wants


money, the unauthorised

biography, mad money

adventure, how you can learn

from apple and make money.

the seven secrets

of leadership, how google works, think


big: be positive and brave

to achieve your dreams

                                   < ask not

for money, but for lakshmi >




Phoebe Power received an Eric Gregory Award in 2012 and in 2014 a Northern Writers’ Award to work on her first collection. Her poems have appeared in journals including POEM, Magma and Cake and she was Apprentice Poet-in-Residence at last year’s Ilkley Literature Festival.

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