Before the rockslide, 1982 by Maxine Rose Munro

 


 

Maxine Rose Munro is a Shetlander adrift on the outskirts of Glasgow. After spending the first eighteen years of her life exclusively on the islands, without even a small break for the holidays, the culture shock experienced on eventually seeing the wider world rocked her to the core, and is still rocking now. However, as the end result appears to be poetry, she’s fairly ok with this. Her poetry has been widely published both in print and online, exhibited at Stanza Poetry Festival, shortlisted for the SMHAFF Awards, and nominated for both the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. www.maxinerosemunro.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That was the last summer at the stickleback pool. 

The last hike with a packed bag and a book, 

to lie full length and gaze up at a haphazard 

jenga-stack cliff face, sandstone slanted 

in sheets that sheared off so easy. 

 

The last time to wear the seventies swimsuit 

with tiny flowers picked out in bri-nylon purple, 

orange and pink, slip in with the glitter fish 

and soft green weed, in water warmer 

and deeper than any bath could be. 

 

To follow the slow winkle’s twirly squiggle 

though crevices and cracks, lazily eye dampened

paperback as loud seagulls cried and fought 

in white-clouded skies above. The last

summer that lasted forever.

 

 

 

 

 

Maxine Rose Munro

 

 

Pockets by Maxine Rose Munro

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