South Coast Poets Out Loud
Fresh new poetry and writing brought to you by the South Coast Writers Centre.
Season 6 features poems from 34-37 Degrees South Poetry Anthology for 2025 on the theme 'Words / No Words'.
Season 5 features poems shortlisted in the 2025 South Coast Writers Centre Awards as well as readings from Temple - the 2024 anthology of writing.
Season 3 features poets from the anthology 34-37 Degrees South - Signs 2024. Season 2 features poets shortlisted for the South Coast Writers Centre Poetry Awards 2024. Season 1 features poets from the anthology - 34-37 Degrees South - Country 2023.
All these works are brought to you by the South Coast Writers Centre celebrating 30 years of great writing in 2025 - southcoastwriters.org
South Coast Poets Out Loud
Blow out the Birthday Candles by Elizabeth Walton
Elizabeth Walton reads her poem 'Blow out the Birthday Candles, old flame now flares with Parkinson’s'
Music composed and performed by Elizabeth Walton
This poem appears in 34-37 Degrees South 2025 - An Anthology of Poetry from members of the South Coast Writers Centre.
Fresh words brought to you by the South Coast Writers Centre
Blow out the birthday candles, old flame now flares with Parkinson’s by Elizabeth Walton
Hold me here, I speak to you,
not for you, not over you
or about you.
Are we all not keepers of someone's
shaken fuse. You swing your
failing wings, stay in
Your chair most days and nights.
Tiptoe in pigeon steps. You’ve fed
your misspent calling. My love,
Your happenstance. The bet you
made has come undone. Only hope
outruns this mutiny against
Your unbalanced body. Slurred and
slowing, you blink and swing.
Your love for straying,
Forgotten. The ordinary life
switched on to light the path
beyond the nightlight.