New Poetry by Ashley Capes

before Italy

hair penned in

as an afterthought,

a woolly plate and

everything a second edge

yellow a dream

only –

caricature even,

and Pompeii

nothing but a fork

beneath cloth.

- Ashley Capes 2009

bukowski and a wide range of landlords

some struggles are truly epic

like bukowski

and a wide range of landlords

or the hopeless

but well-meaning sign, painted

officious red

no alcohol in the cbd

and beneath it a smashed

VB bottle

coloured like a rotting

SA uniform

and my brother

snickering as we walk by

tastes like piss

- Ashley Capes 2009

Ashley teaches Media and English in Australia, while co-editing www.holland1945.net.au , http://kipplepoetry.blogspot.com/ and administering interactive Renku site http://issassnail.wordpress.com/ His first collection of poetry pollen and the storm was published with the assistance of Small Change Press in 2008 and his second, Stepping over Seasons, will be published by Interactive Press in 2009.