Our poem of the week is ‘A Year, Aye?’ taken from Michael Pedersen’s dazzling collection Oyster. You can see Michael performing from Oyster, and his new book Boy Friends at the Borders Book Festival on Friday 17 June.

A Year, Aye?
It’s been a year, I’m not mistaken,
a year, so nope not dalliance or tryst,
no whit a whirl that wis, put oan
the telly, see whit’s we’ve missed.
Ma heart flutters, no letting go,
ma organs inside chatter, puffed
and full in parley. It’s quite absurd
the lungs might craw, his breathing
never steadies; third flock of
butterflies this week we’ve netted.
Belly bubbles readied; another strange
and cawing noise the throat lets loose –
it’s really getting quite obtuse;
in somersault with each trapeze
the stomach hosts . . . is this really
happening chaps? Yup and yes,
here comes the post. A year unfurled
wi’oot confetti, a whizz pop where
did that come from and go to?
A year and no idea whether any closer
but clear as Spanish summer days:
I couldn’t utter ultimatums even if
I meant ’em. Positive and petrified,
positively petrified, but, yup and yes,
if you’ll huv it, unlike the wine
stain on yer blouse, my mess is
here to stay.
- from Oyster by Michael Pedersen