On Rossnowlagh Beach two people are dancing
old time ballroom on the wet sands
and someone is playing waltzes on an accordion
the sea salt fucks up the mother-of-pearl buttons
the sand grains get stuck in the teeth
and from here you look East to see North
the Orange men are walking or lying
in rolled-up trouser legs and shirt sleeves
oh, it’s been a grand summer
bowled on the strand like tenpin skittles
and Marconi says the farthest distance
between two points, is polarisation
* poem, in its entirety, is available in the printed version of the current issue
Bio:
Gary Allen has published 19 collections of poetry, most recently Bonfire Night (Greenwich Exchange Publishing). He is also the author of three novels and a collection of short stories. He has been highly commended in the Forward Prize competition.