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1st November, 2024

Friday Poem – ‘Afterwards’ by Betty Doyle

Image of a dying star in the middle of a swirling cloud of dust and light

This week’s Friday Poem is ‘Afterwards’ by Betty Doyle from her newly published pamphlet Fruits of Labour. Join us on Wednesday 6th November for our joint online poetry launch celebrating Fruits of Labour and Portrait in Mustard by Wendy Allen.

Afterwards the pain was so much that I curled inwards as my breath was ripped out of me: the I of my body curved until my head was buried inside my belly, contracting to a dying star. I could see the implosion at my core, hot-white, radiating outwards with high winds, light waves flying out of me when all I wanted was to unfurl, straighten, stretch my spine beyond its half-moon, point my chin sunwards, uncross myself, stand palms-up, legs spread mouth wide, to let my face, chest belly see it all – and feel it.

Register via Eventbrite to join us online on Wednesday 6th November for the launch of Fruits of Labour and Portrait in Mustard.

Register for free
Join Poetry Launch. Portrait in Mustard by Wendy Allen and Fruits of Labour by Betty Doyle. 6pm Wednesday 6th November. Online via Zoom. All welcome. Book via Eventbrite.

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Related Books

This cover shows a still life painting of various fruits which are beginning to decay. The text reads: Fruits of Labour, Betty Doyle.

Fruits of Labour

Betty Doyle

Buy now