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Poetry Archive Now Wordview 2021: Night Shift
by Martin Figura
One of a series of poems as Writer in Residence with Salisbury NHS, inspired by interviews, site visits and research in response to the Covid experience of staff and patients.
Poetry Archive Now Wordview 2021: Night Shift
In the blue orbit
of a night shift
I glimpse myself
beyond the window
untethered, an astronaut
adrift from my craft
in the bleary otherness
of particles and dust.
If I could reach
through light years
and touch my blue-gloved hand
out there
in the refracted constellation
of flickering monitors,
if I could be heard above
their vital signs
and respiratory hum,
I would ask me
if the earth is still
as beautiful as they say.
Poem recorded as part of Poetry Archive Now: Wordview 2021. Used by permission of author.
A special thank you to our WordView 2021 poets.
Chair of the Judging Panel, Imtiaz Dharker, says: "An idea that began as a response to the world shutting down has, joyfully, become a way to invite the whole world in. It has been exciting to see the entries come in from different countries, from marginalised voices, from people of all backgrounds who now know this space belongs to them. My fellow judges and I were struck by the immediacy of experience and commitment to language in the winning entries. It's also good to think that the rest of the entries will continue to be seen as an invaluable record of our times."
See the collectionWatch the full Wordview 2021 playlist