Gareth Culshaw lives in Wales. His first collection of poetry is The Minerout (2018) by Futurecycle. In 2020, his second collection, called Shadows of Tryfan is released. He is currently on an MFA at Manchester Met. His biggest poetry fans are his two dogs, Jasper & Lana.

My Ears Wake First

This early in the morning I have the bed
to myself. I hear the rookery through our
open window as they start to bicker
about the day ahead.

A chiffchaff is yet to enter his usual perch
of the phone wire. But a jackdaw sends
out its toy sounding yap. A car may
pass through tearing up the road.

I lie here with the world around me
the weight of it below and above.
My eyes ponder whether to wake up
as my ears start the day for my body.

A tap of feet passes by from a lady who
walks before breakfast. A rev of an engine
tells me it’s gone six am as the neighbour
leaves for work.

My eyes wake, the pupils fogged by dreams
that linger until after I’ve come back
from walking the dogs. Then the morning
starts with a boiling kettle.

[image: Chiffchaff on the wire | Vargha Dâna]