Portal, by Bill Arnott

Portal, photograph by Bill Arnott (Canada) contemporary

Portal                   

Through imitation glass, an imitation world, removed
observer and observed
observing
real and imagined blur, in chalk-dust atmosphere
the velvet sound of blackboard brushes
dampened smack detentions 
glimpsed through glass, imagined freedom
tainted puffs of cumulous
a hint of pink, a sunset rare
on blackened khaki earth, a kiln in stone-fruit summer sky
a harvest, cropped, a threaded needle eyelet cinched
into a knot, snapped taught with teeth
caught somewhere in between a grimace and a smile 
through imitation glass this imitation world
slides by, a curtain drawn in water droplets
darkening to ashy grey, to twilight dusk
and finally to black

Bill Arnott

Vancouver author, poet, songwriter Bill Arnott is the bestselling nonfiction author of Wonderful Magical Words and Dromomania. His poetry is in the League of Canadian Poets Heartwood and Paper Dart Press UK PLAY anthologies. Bill’s poems, reviews and articles also appear online.