Rooms By The Sea, 1951
(Stories from Hopper #5)
Poet: Phil Kirby
He shows me a glimpse of a house
by the sea, stands me in what seems
to be a waiting room: plain, somewhat
discoloured walls, carpet butter yellow
where a shape of light falls through
the open door, which gives at once
onto the waves and far horizon.
While to the left another, furnished room:
bench seat, cupboard, picture hung just
out of view – all the trappings of a home.
The purpose of my waiting isn’t clear
at first. But he lets me stare at the blankness
until it comes to represent my indecision.
Only then a choice presents itself: comfort
in the other room, a door out to the blue.
Phil Kirby’s collections are ‘Watermarks’ (Arrowhead, 2009) and ‘The Third History’ (Lapwing, 2018). Recent poems in Acumen, Poetry Ireland, Stand and various UK and international magazines. He is now working towards a third collection. He is a member of the Fire River Poets in Taunton. Writing as P.K. Kirby, a teen novella, ‘Hidden Depths’ (Applefire, 2016), is available on Kindle.