Looking Behind by Rory Aaron

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Looking Behind

 

16 ½ years 

 

report cards  

half ripped        rolled

into substandard roaches

weigh down his rucksack.

 

He skids into carpark 

 

joy-crying mo-ped 

down potholes 

already knowing where 

nowhere leads.

 

He drops wheelies

            

wanting to be seen.


Coup

 

Dog front crawls himself across the battlefield

slobbering toxins, 

dragging the sun lassoed to his tail.

 

Flies swarm behind,

 

god is dead.

 

Dog made sure of it.  

 

He makes it to the river. 

 

Lungs like overused train brakes. 

 

He begins drinking from the bed. 

 

Forests into wastelands 

fields into carparks 

oceans into bunkers. 

 

Dog keeps going. 

 

Slurping up the final swells. 

 


Rory is a published working-class poet from Derby currently based in Stockport. He has been writing for a number of years and had a number of successes performing at events such as Commonword European Slam & One Mic Stand. He has performed for Manchester International Festival and recently supported Poet Louise Fazackerley on her latest book tour. He is also supported by Beatfreeks in hosting his own podcast called Voices Of Manchester. Aaron has been published by Riggwelter Press.

25 November 2020