How Soon
A clock ticks
and she doesn't stop to hear.
The oceab skips beats.
It has pulled its skirt above the knee.
How soon? How Soon?
Fish mouth their horror, drum the sand.
Anisha is far away in thought
as water boils upon the stove.
Inthat one photo staring up,
she's young, yet Sabeen, Sabi,
a rabbit doll upon the chair
belongs to her grandaughter now.
Its glass eyes have lost a smile.
Voices call from the beach.
She manages a laugh,
rolls dough for kuping gajah,
water spills from the rim of the pan,
hisses, angry,
Adrenaline jolts her heart.
Those calls are other women's screams.
The ocean lifts its tune
too late for her to know
that she must ride its muddied stave.
That was life it seems. How tsun
By Graham Burchell
More about Graham
Graham Burchell was born in Canterbury. He is the winner of the first Chapter One Promotions Open Poetry Competition in 2005 with 'Still Waiting', Winner of the 2006 Hazel Street Productions Poetry Contest, 3rd place winner in the 2009 Torriano Poetry Competition and specially commended in the Ware Open Poetry Competition 2006, the Welsh Poetry Competition 2008 and 2009 and in the 2009 Sentinel Literary Quarterly Poetry Competition. Graham was also nominated for a 2006 Pushcart Prize. His poetry has appeared in many print and online literary magazines around the world. His first poetry collection ‘Vermeer’s Corner’ (Foothills Publishing) and his chapbook ‘Ladies of Divided Twins’ ((Erbacce Press) were both published in 2008 along with his children’s novel ‘Chester and the Green Pig’ (Calderwood Books). Graham is also the editor of the online poetry journal, Words-Myth voted online poetry magazine of 2007 by Poetry Kit. He is a former member of Houston based “Poets Northwest”, and currently a member of the Moor Poets in Devon, England. For more details visit Graham's website.