Architecture

1
by the seat of the pants
Tin up,
boulders back
to that cold wind
from the south.

A glass act
for the sun.

Luck
for the smile
of circumstance.
Touch wood
and cross
the timbers.

2
geometry,
The walls take sides,
each penetrated
by another
point of view.

We choose a window,
hold its line
against the force
of wind and reason.

page 144

Right angle
or not,
we meet only
when cornered.

3
finishing timbers
The butt of the joint
is the equivocation.
The side-splitting
marriage
of material
What it's cracked-up
to be—a skirting
round the truth

4
maintenance
There's comfort here
—and flaking skin—
under this roof
that routes all raindrops
to the sea.

The rusty
signature of storm
has tagged the tiling
drawn the blood
through flesh.

Tomorrow, moisturiser
and a tin of paint.

page 145

5
documentation
That art
by merely accident
of craft: passion
a terror
of judgement.

All conclusions
are drawn
(and to be checked
on site).

6
old fashioned
Joinery held together
in those less exacting
times. Timber taut
a decent foreplay:
tenon entered mortice
slowly—inch
by careful inch—
in fitting tribute
to a union
built to last.

Disjointed, now. A love
for loose-fit, interchangeable
parts: deconstruction
without pain of glue
or friction. No real
screwing. The staple
gun—bang, bang,
bang.

page 146

7
view
The glass in my window
has a kink
that elongates
and magnifies
its pictorial message,
turning the tree
and building opposite
into sculptural fantasy
it cannot blink away.

Its only hope is to be smashed.

Falling back into its picture,
it will clear it.

8
contours
The instrument beeps
the hillside
sleeps
in electronic
erudition.

The laser leaps
the insect
creeps
to its target.

The surveyor keeps
the waxeye
cheeps
his notes.

page 147

9
for sale
At whose bidding
do we find ourselves
within these empty rooms?
This is, it seems, our lot—
love, out
to tender.

10
skytower
The building draws itself up
to its full height,

pose in the air.
A lofty inflexion

of stunted men
with perfect deportment,

in search of that extra
dimension.