We're delighted to present our Poem Of The Day, presented in association with Poetry Ireland.
Today's poem is Poem On A Rainy Birthday by Roderic Vincent - read it below.
poem on a rainy birthday
– for Jess
Her smaller hand holds
the hand that holds
the umbrella. It's wetter
out there, and in here
things might get romantic.
A roof over our heads,
the homely chat of rain
on a tent. But this is what
we cannot do together:
there isn’t room under
this canopy. We could be
huddled from the world,
but we fight over the handle,
hand over fist, the flag
of victory wobbling above.
She calls me selfish when
I only want to protect
and provide full coverage
for her. I’m skirting the over-
hang of trees, steering her
round a lamppost. Above all
I want to avoid a clash
with oncoming umbrellas.
I give no thought to the equal
distribution of territory.
She offers to withdraw
the little floral fold-out
brolly from her handbag
but I won’t put up
with that – it’s tantamount
to separate bedrooms.
She tells me it’s my height,
the difference between us
that makes this so awkward.
She says she’ll take it,
leave me half-in half-out,
one shoulder jostling hers,
the other exposed,
but I’d be left wondering
what people think
of a man who expects the woman
to carry the umbrella.
About The Poet: Roderic Vincent was one of the Poetry Ireland Introductions poets for 2018. He came second and third in the 2017 Fish Poetry Prize. His poems are included in The Iron Book of New Humorous Verse (Iron Press), and in literary magazines including Stand, The Rialto, Magma, and Prole.
