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Last night, myself and the nine members of Jeffrey’s writing workshop gave a reading for the other students and the good people of Paroikia. I knew it was going to be solid, we’ve had a lot of great pieces this term. But nothing prepared me for the actual event – ten powerful voices, each original and intense and wonderful. It was gorgeous. I read my frilly little meditations on stars and flowers and butterflies and happy things, and finished off with what I have been referring to as the “turtle poem”, which I wasn’t going to read, but the other workshop members very emphatically encouraged me to.

So here it is, the last piece of the four I wrote in the last eight weeks for our workshops, all of which I read last night –

NATIONAL GARDENS, ATHENS

Unconcerned with momentum, sea-turtles drift
blissful in a small pond.

Faces lifted, full to the sun;
eyes closed to the swallows
swimming circles in the air –

as exquisitely shielded
as new love.