Moonchild 

Joe picks up a big stick on the beach, 

smooths a patch of sand for a canvas, 

 

writes his name over and over 

until it’s time to go home. 

 

Not trusting where home is, 

Joe refuses our calling. 

 

We let the tide take him. 

 

Joe is back now 

with a bigger stick 

and a voice grown storm force. 

from ‘By Way of Reply’ (Waterloo Press, 2025) © Maggie Sullivan 2025, used by permission of the author.

Born in Islington in north London, the premature death of her mother just before Sullivan’s 7th birthday necessitated her ...

The free tracks you can enjoy in the Poetry Archive are a selection of a poet’s work. Our catalogue store includes many more recordings which you can download to your device.

Glossary
Close