Listen to Mervyn reading this poem:
The threads in me, echoing, shifts me forward. A boy in Brixton holding a cart-bag trolley. His feet trekking at staccato speed, catching up to the wheels. His mum stops in the Caribbean shop, butcher, fishmonger. A boy in Brixton holding a cart-bag trolley. Each character is known by their first name, as the milkman. His mum stops in the Caribbean shop, butcher, fishmonger. It is funny past fifty, we cherish vestige instants, hugging the past. Each character is known by their first name, as the milkman. Each breath condenses smoke-spiral in Suffolk’s cold. It is funny past fifty, we cherish vestige instants, hugging the past. Each breath wheezing emerging out in Miami’s humid heat. Each breath condenses smoke-spiral in Suffolk’s frost. Each human page compiles the darkness/light of this novel. Each breath wheezing emerging out in Miami’s humid heat. The memory of my mummy is lingering; she is my blanket. Each human page compiles the darkness/light of this novel. A bridge bringing forward yesterday’s yesterday. The memory of my mummy is lingering; she is my blanket. A boy inhaling the fish and chip shop, mum dragging him past. A bridge bringing forward yesterday’s yesterday. A boy juggling a football like time never ends. A boy inhaling the fish and chip shop, mum dragging him past. The sunny days, seaside, family gatherings, sea silence. A boy juggling a football like time never ends. It is funny how we face fear, recalling our joys. The sunny days, seaside, family gatherings, sea silence. Now, I know each forest path pattern felt by my feet, grounded. It is funny how we face fear, recalling our joys. His feet trekking at staccato speed, catching up to the wheels. Now, I know each forest path pattern felt by my feet, grounded. The threads in me, echoing, shifts me forward.
Mervyn Seivwright writes to balance social consciousness & poetry craft for humane growth. He is a nomad from a Jamaican family, born in London, England, and left for America at age 10, now residing in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Performance poetry highlights include events in 9 countries, featuring at The Jazz Café, & finalist at the first UK’s Word-for-Word National Poetry Slam. He is a Spalding University MFA Alum, and He has appeared in AGNI, American Journal of Poetry, Salamander Magazine, African American Review, Poetry.Online, & 86 other journals across 14 countries. He is the Caribbean Writer 2024 Marvin E. Williams Literary Prize winner, the Poetry International 2023 C. P. Cavafy Prize Finalist, the CutBank Literary Journal Annual Genre Contest Finalist, the 2020 Lucy Terry Prince Prize Second Runner-Up, Judged by Major Jackson & a 2021/2023 Pushcart Nominee. His collection “Stick, Hook, and a Pile of Yarn,” is available through Broken Sleep Books. (https://www.brokensleepbooks.com/product-page/mervyn-seivwright-stick-hook-and-a-pile-of-yarn ). Link: https://www.clippings.me/mervynseivwright