ALISON HILL

Alison Hill's poetry has been appeared in a range of magazines and anthologies and her pamphlet, Peppercorn Rent, was published by Flarestack. Her first play, Stalking Oscar, was recently performed at the CornerHOUSE in Tolworth.
 
Alison runs Rhythm & Muse, a monthly poetry and music night in Teddington, which she launched in July 2007, inspired by her first visit to Tongues & Grooves.

The Early Hours
 
We sit rooted, bound in a sleepy understanding.
 
His feeling for the world just a quivering mass
of need with an occasional stillness,
a listening, a leaning towards ancient beats,
warm familiar sounds of distant womb.
 
Scratch-eyed, I am awash with night flashes
of long-forgotten travels, snatches
of foreign scenery; long before we began
our strange nocturnal two-step.
 
He stirs, widens his navy eyes in sheer wonder.
We draw closer with a sympathetic shiver,
child of mine, son of mine, all and none of mine.
 
Dawn breaks, and my heart turns over.