Gaye Chapman, Glitter 2

Deviance

(after Glitter: II, Gaye Chapman 2006)

In our grandmothers’ gardens
pansies or pensées
grow down to the dark earth
filigrees of lace, of decay,
frenetic love
or never-ending effort.

Memento-mori hangs
from the wrought-iron tree,
a devil’s head
always with us, his face
a pained mask, no matter
how we impose our art.


Margaret Bradstock.