And had we ever lived in my country Winter’s strains And in the sea’s blackness sank When space is at its emptiest Was it morning, night? Curling her tail His 18th. He likes Chinese Staring up from his pram to the sky New Year’s Eve In this country Here’s dusk to burrow in All yellow has gone from the day While the tulip threatens to lose one leaf Even if I never said Darling, your message on the phone Is it before or after the fiesta? 205 206 207 207 208 209 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 216 217 On a late summer’s day that draws to a close 218 First you invite me to tea under your appletree 218 Everywhere you see her 219 Don’t draw back 220 Light comes between us and our grief 221 Why does the aspen tremble 221 Boys have been throwing stones all day 222 Foreshortened, light claws out of the sea 224 On a diving-board 224 These hills are literally blue 225 I have removed the scaffolding 226 So high up in a house 227 These homes in poems 227 For those who have no homes like these 228 For you, who are a large man 229 When against a cloth 230 The gate has five bars 230 I’m reading with the light on 231