START ME UP by MIKE DOHERTY

Arts Richmond

Online - 16 August 2020

at first light untrammelled by fear

the first thought, that fragile thing

is wary in those first moments

before the day unfurls

into a precious arc like a fisherman’s net,

cast wide;

and it should always be an optimistic sweep

of eyes not yet occluded by doubt

limbs not yet bothered by gravity

and a heart willing to pump

fresh energy to gather up

the morning’s catch

from ABOUT TIME, the 2019 anthology of shortlisted entries from The Roger McGough Poetry Prize. Copies of this Anthology can be purchased for £5 including P&P from Arts Richmond.