I’ve been sorting and clearing papers and poems. This poem was written a couple of years ago in a workshop with Peter Sansom of the Poetry Business. We were at the Manchester Art Gallery and were sent out into the galleries to find an art work, then write a poem about it. All that and have a quick lunch too!

The inspiration was the painting Sunday morning by the Victorian painter Edward Stott. A quiet image for a quiet poem.

Sunday morning

Through lace curtains
a shining sun
red flowers in the garden.

Father and mother
in black at the back
of the painting.

The small girl
with ginger hair
holds a large white bowl.

The boy to her left
blond cropped hair
drinks from a saucer.

A black-and-white cat
looks up at the older sister
slicing bread on her lap.

He has borrowed both
children and adults:
all live here in the village.

Much of the collections at Manchester Art Gallery is now accessible online.