Eloise in Residence at Ledbury

New Yorkshire Squad member Eloise Unerman has been selected as poet in residence at the country’s largest poetry festival. Eloise will be at Ledbury Poetry Festival from 29th June to 8th July after winning first prize in last year’s Ledbury Poetry Competition in the Young People 12-17 category with her poem, 04:52 to Bristol, which you can read below.

 

04:52 to Bristol

 

Femininity is wide-eyed, she is covered

in mascara and desperately searching

 

for a train ticket. She’s in McDonald’s at midnight,

giving her last five pounds, to smear rebellion

red lipstick on a big mac. Femininity has taken

 

her high heels off. She is wandering

the empty dance floor, torn-away sequins,

engagement ring confetti sticking to her feet.

 

She is travelling across the country, running

from a brown-carpeted flat, and a man

with veins pulsing in the contours of his face.