Peter Hughes

Peter Hughes was recently the Judith E. Wilson Visiting Fellow in Poetry at Cambridge University. He runs Oystercatcher Press. Recent publications include a Selected Poems (from Shearsman), versions of Petrarch’s complete sonnets (Reality Street), and Cavalcanty (Carcanet). His versions of Leopardi have just come out from Equipage. Peter is currently based in Cambridge.

 

 

 

 

 

Cork

the recording

informs us

we’re reversing

past a guy in

yellow weeding

plastic flowers

outside the city hall

a bar pulls up

beside myself

announcing WINE

BEER COCKTAILS

& though I’ve never

had a wine beer

cocktail there’s a

momentary pang

as the bus eases

forwards from one

missed opportunity

to who knows where

I try to read but can’t

stop imagining you

naked on our white

summer coverlet

I move uneasily & change

my seat to get a better

view of summer trees

along the road & your

astonishing reflection

in all these ways

my throat goes

dry I’m heading back

towards you with plans

for a new cocktail

called Momentary Pang

clink cheers & alla nostra 

drain the loaded glasses

place them down

upon this bedside table

 

© 2018 Peter Hughes