The following poems by Ian Stephen and Karin Slater were published in Issue 10 of Conversation Poetry Quarterly, a recently founded publication formed as part of the Conversation International Poetry Project. Past editions are available to read or download at http://conversationpoetry.co.uk/downloads/.



IAN STEPHEN


THE CURL…
For Nicky and Adrian

The curl of the meniscus
is in the last ten feet
before the end of a world.

It could be the Baltic.
The Pacific or bogland.
Salt, fresh or brackish.

More a matter of containment
as seen in a part-filled glass
held to the ambient light

before breakfast
where the slopes move
to the Clyde and Forth

but the wetness of the bowl
of this or any world can
alter the surface tension

and the turn of the liquid
might
no longer be
downward.




KARIN SLATER


RUBY

was the minister’s daughter,
five foot five with a slight limp
all the boys teased her for.

Hair black to the white scalp,
always straight up and down
even in bad weather

she still walked
the mile and a half for the school bus
she would ride in silence.

When she was knocked down
school held an assembly,
and everybody cried.



ISLAND FENG SHUI

wooden table, chair,
stove, peat fire, dog, hairy wellies,
newspaper reeking of sgadan