Poetry Break # 1: Like Code

In honour of the Derek Walcott 70th Birthday Celebrations now on at the University of the West Indies (he's doing a book signing this evening!), I thought that I would post one of my poems for your consumption. That said, this is in no way as epic as Omeros and I pray that no one tries to decipher it as if it were a Rorshach, but still please leave me your impressions. At its worst, I hope you enjoy it. Its called 'Like Code'.

Crows sit perched
On lamp-posts.

They swing by,
Fast

past me -

Sequentially

I see one alone and
Watching;

Then two,

And four.

Shadows against
The eastern sun
Like breaks in the transmission,
Tapping out
Messages in code.

Sub-conscious.
Unconscious.
I want to close my eyes

And surrender
This wheel
For a ride
In the back
Of a big,
Black car.

(Baklava?)

Soaked
Sticky sweet
With honey
For you honey
With hidden guilt
And shame,

Is nothing more
Than a distant taste
Of kind words
Of reconsolation

Dripping
From my tongue
Like breaks in the transmission

Like code.