1962, if not later.
He had a black radio.
He carried it in his arms
but it was supposed to sit
on the sideboard.

He carried it because of
the reception and the reception
made him very angry,
Bordel de bordel de bordel.

We sat at the kitchen table,
having dinner time.
He pressed his ear
to the black fabric speaker.
Static cut at us
above the actualites
and I couldn’t swallow food.

Years later I saw footage
of how people listened
to the news during The War,
drawn up close to the radio
with frozen expressions.

Now he’s 80
and puts CNN on,
loud, over and over again.
Things are important
and require his full attention

– Yvonne Green, from Boukhara

The Poetry Business receives financial assistance from Arts Council England.