As a salmon
I grab the lure,
pull the fisher
into full river,
fill his boots.
So what if he drowns?

As a mare,
I rise up
in her dreams,
hooves scrape air,
set her sweating
bolt upright.

As a fly
I bite his nape,
his legs,
his underbody.
Always too quick,
I take his blood.

As an old woman
I stare her
reflection
from each glass.
Too soon
she’ll reflect me.

I never shout
to make myself
apparent –
no devil hype.
I remain

low-key.

Simon Williams has been writing since his teens, when he was mentored at university by Roger McGough. He has nine collections, the latest being The Magpie , from Vole, published December 2020. Simon was elected The Bard of Exeter in 2013, founded the large-format magazine, The Broadsheet and published the PLAY anthology in 2018.