John Bulmer (1960)

John Bulmer (1965)

John Bulmer (1977)

“All We’ve Simply Thrown Away”

Outside it’s just
screams and sirens

and people waiting to be paid

inside we peel paint
from the walls in flakes
as if there might be some new
magic underneath

the wine does what it can
but this sadness in our blood
is older than time

our damage shines best
in these smallest hours

and this is the beauty I want to remember

it suddenly strikes me
so many lives could be made
from all we’ve simply
thrown away

as we cross our hearts and make a pact
to stay beautiful until the dawn

when the sun will come and
burn us off like fog.

—William Taylor Jr.