After Pissarro
1.
Shock of winter
Shock of the ancient
Shock of renewal
2.
After snowfall
A palette of monochrome
Upstrokes and cross hatchings
Score marks and rough edges
Thumb smudges
Finger smears
Rubbings out
3.
Trees in startled thought
Like blown madwomen
In iron age wrought
Crown nature’s brain
4.
Frozen tableau
Cloud
Stout houses
Flecks of bird
Shrouded walkers
A road gently curves
Drawing the observer’s gaze
Shuttling train
5.
A picture forms
The sped century
Spreads a pall over southern London
The city’s softer side
Sydenham, Norwood, Dulwich
Fox Hill
Murmur of suburbia
Metropolitan harbinger