During lockdown we invited performance poet Kirsty Allison to play a socially distanced gig at The Riverside.
Below is her poem ‘Poison’, inspired by the music of Gil De Ray, who also performed backing music to Kirsty’s words for the first time at our gig.
Her anthology, Now Is Now, is available as a signed and numbered, limited edition of 250, and was published as thank you to all the paying subscribers of kirstyallison.substack.com. It is the third book on Cold Lips Press. Also available on vagrantlovers.bandcamp, coldlips.co.uk and through Rough Trade. The foreword is written by Malik Ameer Crumpler, the poet, rapper and editor.
“Kirsty Allison is the greatest cultural beacon this planet has produced” IRVINE WELSH. “The modern Patti Smith” JOHNY BROWN, THE BAND OF HOLY JOY. “A one-woman cosmos” DAVID ERDOS, INTERNATIONAL TIMES. “Combines the cerebral and the carnival” THE SUNDAY TIMES
Perfume (in response to Gil De Ray’s song)
I smell you as a memory
Of factory foiled walls
Glimpse your sunken cheeks
Sniff your velvet claw
I thought your scent had left me
But it pulls me to the floor
Past Sports Direct
Beyond social mores
The heat of chasing bondage
Your heavenly boxing glove
Labels don’t betray us
This obsession’s not love
I touch your head
You stroke my neck
Put my hands behind my back
Undressed invisible
Indivisible, Fond choke
Emulsify me
No betrayal
Floating outlaw.
Rope’s in the cellar
Tools in the drawer
I’ll sell it all for you now
Whip me, sweet horsetail
This distraction’s a one way street
I’m undermined
You’re so hard
Neediness upsets me
Vapour’s clear
So near
You never left me
My favourite perfume
The post Poem: Poison By Kirsty Allison appeared first on Noise of Art.
