Starling, by Scott Elder

Woman Ironing, by Edgar Degas (France) 1887

Starling

She hasn’t a clue why  she’s  there       soft  colours   
tempered light     her sole colour was black     pray 
let me sleep a century or two (here she sighs)    the 
little iron on a cotton sea  paves a path in the storm  
there’s too much softness here    give me scarlet or 
nothing at all      the cloth is not waiting   no one is 
waiting   a basket of stars cool on her blouse   gaze  
steadied on the little ship’s bow   she’ll have flown
by noon ​

Scott Elder
​
Scott Elder’s work has been widely published, placed or commended in numerous competitions in the UK and Ireland, and shortlisted in the Bridport, Fish, Plough, Aesthetica, and Troubadour Prizes. His second collection, Maria was published by Erbacce Press in 2023. A third, My Hotel, is forthcoming by Salmon Poetry in 2026.