Ruby Lawrence

Ruby Lawrence is a writer and artist based in Cornwall, England. Her poetry has been widely published, including by Pilot Press, Gutter, Magma, PERVERSE, Discount Guillotine, and Rabbit. She co-founded experimental poetry organisation crisp packet poetry. Much of her work explores themes of embodiment, recovery, and relationships with more-than-human life. She can be found at www.rubylawrencewriter.wordpress.com

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Cornwall

FIRST Planning. Plan a staccato. Be scuppered,

in stages. Frame myself in four dimensions of scarcity -

find the cheekbone angle. Housesit for well-liked people.

Get a handle on their holiday schedules. Rapido.

Expensive dog. Temperament of loss flowing freely.

A slug got in through the back door. It would eat

this whole house if, if. I want a little green belt.

SECOND Prioritisation. A great gust of wind

blows through every holiday let at the exact

same moment a thousand sons inherit.

Hectares of silt. Building potential. Nobody gasps,

except the cottages themselves - a flash of panic

dislodging a bowl of shells. A woman declares

she is bored of her house. None of these properties

are truly vacant, you know. They are simply crying

and they cannot soothe themselves. THIRD

Navy and cream. Plunder. In four years,

this will all flood. 

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The 3 P’s 

Step one: planning. Plan a staccato. Be scuppered, 

in stages. Frame myself in four dimensions of scarcity - 

find the cheekbone angle. Housesit for rich people.  

Get a handle on their holiday schedules. Rapido.  

Expensive dog. Temperament of loss flowing freely.  

A slug got in through the back door. It would eat 

this whole house if, if. I want a little green belt. 

Step two: prioritisation. A great gust of wind 

blows through every holiday let at the exact  

same moment a thousand sons inherit. 

Hectares of silt. Building potential. Nobody gasps, 

except the cottages themselves - a flash of panic 

dislodging a bowl of shells. A woman declares 

she is bored of her house. None of these properties 

are truly vacant, you know. They are simply crying  

and they cannot soothe themselves. Step 3.  

Navy and cream. Plunder. In four years,  

this will all flood. 

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