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6th October, 2023

Friday Poem – ‘Tower’ by Vanessa Lampert

Close up photo of a child's holding onto their parent's hand with the sun flaring over the image.

This week’s Friday Poem is ‘Tower’ by Vanessa Lampert which was recently highly commended in the Forward Prizes for Poetry. The poem is published in her debut collection Say it With Me.

Tower
My father took me to London
when my whole fist could fit
inside his palm.
On the tube he lifted me up
and, holding tight stepped out
from our carriage to the next
through the filthy hurtling dark
to thrill me, then did it again.
By the river he bought chestnuts
roasted on a brazier.
My red gloves swung on strings.
I looked up at the tower of him,
and grief would never dare
to touch my life.