“Intimacy” and “Endurance,” Two Poems by Maria Ferguson

“Intimacy”

When I think about it, tucking the label
back into my husband’s shirt
is not that different from eating him
to survive on a desert island.

The musk of cologne as I go
straight for the neck. He doesn’t flinch,
doesn’t question why my hands
are coming towards him.

He’s felt my skin on his skin
so many times before. Our little
tap on the back that says,
I’ve got you. It’s alright.

*

“Endurance”

If you go running along a certain track
and trip quite badly, graze your knees,
you think, silly me! What did I do wrong?
You think next time, next time I’ll be
more careful. I’ll slow down
or wear better shoes.
Rest up, be stronger.
Check the weather.
You think I’ll lose a bit of weight
so it’s not so hard to carry
this body and so you do
and set off with vigor, grateful
to be running again at all, and you make it
to the sonographer’s room
holding your husband’s hand as before
only this time, there’s a blob with a flicker.
This time they show you the big screen,
start of the brain, a little hand. Dear God!
Can’t you feel yourself falling?

______________________________

Swell by Maria Ferguson (£10.99) publishes with Penguin Poetry on 30th January 2025.