To anneal glass or metal. by Mick Corrigan

The pitch of your roof covered in crows

a chorus of dogs howling away

through the long watch of night,

you’re never alone when there’s blood in the water

you’re always alone when the shit hits the fan,

what doesn’t kill you doesn’t kill you

but it can ruin your trousers, the best pair,

the ones you keep for special occasions,

like getting out of bed.

The correct application of heat

can temper glass or metal or you

make you stronger, more resilient 

but with just as many flaws

and with some studious polishing

you can stop being the cunt

who always brings a blade 

to a bun fight.

Mick Corrigans’ poems have been rejected by some of the finest magazines around the world, his debut collection, “Deep Fried Unicorn”, was released in to the wild in early 2015. His poem “Snowbound” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize 2018 by San Pedro Review, USA, his poem “If Harry Clarke made a stained-glass window for the Magdalene Women” was nominated for a Forward Poetry Prize 2018 by Poetry Bus, Ireland.

He spends his time as though he has an endless supply of it, between Ireland and the island of Crete. He plans to do wild and reckless things with his hair before it’s too late.