Sunday Poem 6 – David Tait

The Sunday poem for this week is ‘End Credits’ by David Tait.  David Tait was one of the winners of the Poetry Business Pamphlet competition last year, judged by Simon Armitage.  Simon Armitage said of his poems: ‘Careful and concise poems, like glimpsed scenes and small, intense dramas, full of knowing detail and telling lines.  Tender but shrewd.’ 

David is a very good friend of mine, as well as being an excellent poet.  You can see David read at the Manchester Royal Exchange, where he is the House Poet for the Carol Ann Duffy and Friends Poetry Series.  He will also be reading for ‘A Poem And A Pint’ at Grizebeck Village Hall’ on June 9th, which I’m really looking forward to.  I would highly recommend David’s pamphlet, ‘Love’s Loose Ends’ which is available to order from the Poetry Business website and David has a profile on the website too: www.poetrybusiness.co.uk

Here is his wonderful poem ‘End Credits’

End Credits-David Tait

As for beauty: I think I’ve experienced
the moment in life that will flash
before me at the end.  He was on top
and his eyes were shut, his mouth open
as if he were swimming: a child again,
his hair floating around him like seaweed.

Earlier that night we’d watched a movie
where the newly dead arrived in purgatory
to direct a short film of their happiest memory.
It was about coming to terms, and afterwards
we’d had a fight and made up and had another fight
as the credits rolled and we tore off our clothes
and love spooled before us.  And we were cameras.