Scan

I turn it over in my hands,
the inky A4 printout
of the ultrasound:

is that a leg or an arm?
I turn it upside down.
Is that a jawbone

or a jumping bean?
I look at the spine,
shaped like an interrobang,

and then, I grope for the whole:
a whorl of monochrome
denoting an incoming storm,

or a photo of Jupiter
taken by an early NASA probe.
Our own Enigma code.

I put it down and look
out at the late spring evening,
where the sky is wet and bulging

with thunderheads - ripe plums
on a perilously-laden bough -
overhanging hungering mountaintops.

Potbellied homunculus,
cupboard-Indian,
Echo’s bones,

juju, astronaut,
inscrutable old seer,
lodged in your far-off cave:

what does the future hold?
You ought to know -
you’re from there, after all.

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 21st, 2005 at 12:49 AM and filed under Old stuff, Poetry. Apologies. Comments and trackbacks are currently closed.

28 Responses to “Scan”

  1. bettyb said:

    Are you saying what i think you’re saying?

    1 Sweetie(s) given

  2. menace said:

    Surely everything I say is, as far as you’re concerned, what you think I’m saying?

    0 Sweetie(s) given

  3. bettyb said:

    Splendid. I am over the moon. Well done you lovely people.

    0 Sweetie(s) given

  4. Lilo said:

    I am extremely pleased and happy for you both.

    1 Sweetie(s) given

  5. menace said:

    To up-late Betty and up-early Lilo, hurrah!

    0 Sweetie(s) given

  6. Minkleberry said:

    Menace, are you and that lovely lady joining the gang?
    say its true!!

    0 Sweetie(s) given

  7. menace said:

    It’s true, the two of us are footstepping the two of you!

    0 Sweetie(s) given

  8. lauren35 said:

    Congratulations! Sweeties for you & I’m off to give some to KE too.

    2 Sweetie(s) given

  9. dmts said:

    How very wonderful.

    0 Sweetie(s) given

  10. dmts said:

    oh - and fabulous piece of writing.

    1 Sweetie(s) given

  11. bettyb said:

    Coffee, give me coffee. And then i’m off to see Missy Evans.

    0 Sweetie(s) given

  12. erudite_baboon said:

    Holy smokes!

    1 Sweetie(s) given

  13. NorahSplog said:

    Congratulations! Wowee! xxx

    0 Sweetie(s) given

  14. amillionpieces said:

    Fantastic.

    1 Sweetie(s) given

  15. Minkleberry said:

    Wowzers cowboy. Congrats to you both xxx

    2 Sweetie(s) given

  16. chintzybling said:

    Oh my God! So happy for you! x

    1 Sweetie(s) given

  17. menace said:

    Thank you all. I’m thinking of naming it after a blogger - but which one?? chintzybling and minkleberry are both good for a girl - and maybe silveretta for a lad. Any ideas?

    0 Sweetie(s) given

  18. chintzybling said:

    But you must have Splog as a middle name. Norah would be so happy..yes Chintzy Splog..

    0 Sweetie(s) given

  19. dmts said:

    We were wondering what was wrong with Mr H for a boy and HJB for a girl?

    0 Sweetie(s) given

  20. amillionpieces said:

    oh, so Monsieur million de morceaux won’t even be considered? Huh? I think its perfect for appeasing the local french community… ;)

    0 Sweetie(s) given

  21. Naiad said:

    How very virile of you, congratulations!
    Wonderful writing too.

    1 Sweetie(s) given

  22. jimi said:

    He shoots, he scores.

    0 Sweetie(s) given

  23. poggle said:

    Awwwww …..

    0 Sweetie(s) given

  24. JoJo said:

    blimey o blinkin’ riley!!!
    fantastico.

    1 Sweetie(s) given

  25. Daisy said:

    x x

    1 Sweetie(s) given

  26. kspragg said:

    Wow! Just found out - Conratualtions, old boy! I thought it was worth coming out of retirement for this comment…
    Keith (With some brackets, for old time’s sake)

    0 Sweetie(s) given

  27. Inga said:

    Ooooer!!

    1 Sweetie(s) given

  28. captivatinglight said:

    What does the future hold?
    no matter, since we will never be there.

    1 Sweetie(s) given