Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Daily Poem

Thursday 09 February 1995 00:02 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Accident By EA Markham It is no accident this accident a lost wife in the lift day after day - the smile today straying some way past recognition.

Tomorrow, preened I shall make amends. Tomorrow will our fray commence. What if the happy run of accidents proves tomorrow an accident?

I shall curse the memory; and when the memory starts to please - I shall be old.

EA Markham is a senior lecturer in creative writing at Sheffield Hallam University, and has written plays, stories and poems. His collections of poetry include Living in disguise (1986) and Towards the End of a Century (1989), by Anvil Press, and Letter From Ulster & The Hugo Poems (1993, Littlewood Arc). He edited Hinterland - the Bloodaxe book of Caribbean poetry, in 1989 and he has just finished editing The Penguin Book of Caribbean Short Stories, to be published this autumn.

This poem is from his collection Human Rites, and his new collection, Misapprehensions, will be published in the autumn, both by Anvil.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in