Christopher Barnes

Police Report

Crime - Animal Cruelty

Decapitated kittens on abutting flowerbeds.

Trickle blackens at midnight.

Suzuki upsets mizzle.

Irresolute bladder factors light.

 

Crime - Arson

Kerosene plash on shattered window.

Fireball rag ignites mat.

Clogging smoke gathers.

Niece hawks under bedspread.

 

III - Misuse of Corpse

Deny an icebox for Mr. Nixey,

Mere parlour floor obsequies.

Incessant creeping over.

Ulcer ashen on opaque face.

 

IV - Intent to Endanger Life

Rigid flash through windscreen.

Jarring slew marks tarmac.

Disjoint into hypermarket wall.

Airbags WOOMPH.

 

V - Manslaughter and Unregulated Manufacture

Bundle-of-joy waxes unwarmed,

Lung-plugged on chesterfield.

 

Polyester hooded sleeping bag,

In irrepressible madder,

Cerements its guilt.

 

About the author: Christopher Barnes won a Northern Arts writers award in 1998. In July 2001, he read at Waterstones bookshop to promote the anthology 'Titles Are Bitches'. Christmas 2001, he debuted at Newcastle's famous Morden Tower doing a reading of my poems. Each year, he reads for Proudwords lesbian and gay writing festival and partook in the workshops. In 2005, he got published hi collection LOVEBITES by Chanticleer Press, Edinburgh. Christopher has written poetry reviews for Poetry Scotland and Jacket Magazine and in August 2007, he made a film called 'A Blank Screen, 60 seconds, 1 shot' for Queerbeats Festival at The Star & Shadow Cinema Newcastle, reviewing a poem.