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Christopher Barnes’ poems on: Shapes Of Disappeared

Power-driven turnstile jolts.

Overtures rustle from speakers.


Hat-black mantua trousers,

Grey line down seam,


                     Flit into vaccine queue.

Discotheque bulbs flash.

High Numbers on turntable.


Metal buttons diffract

Plumblining flannel blazer 


                     As it jiggles with style.

Mornay sputter dots fridge.

Oregano-waft chopping board.


Thread-firm press studs,

Ruffled cuffs of damask blouse


                     Floats above steaming tureen.

Tanker en route to waterfront.

Dunes chase extinct tails.


Puffy zibeline

Silver-grey blouson


                     Knocks ball under crazy golf windmill.

Mangetout drenched in colander.

Knife jettisoned on Formica.


Ultramarine calamanco

Voluminous board shorts,


                     Whop! – Drawer closed.

Christopher Barnes won a Northern Arts Writers Award in 1998. In 2000, he read at Waterstones to promote the anthology Titles Are Bitches, and in 2001 made his debut at Newcastle’s Morden Tower. He performed annually at the Proudwords LGBT writing festival, participating in readings and workshops. In 2003, he read at the Edinburgh Festival as part of Per Verse. That same year, he was mentored by poet Andy Croft through a programme sponsored by the Northern Cultural Skills Partnership and New Writing North. He also produced a radio segment about his writing group for Web FM. Barnes’ poetry collection LOVEBITES was published by Chanticleer Press in 2005. His poem–visual artwork Post-Mark was exhibited in the Art Café Project, supported by Pride On The Tyne. He collaborated on the short film The Old Heave-Ho for Proudwords and participated in the multi-disciplinary exhibition How Gay Are Your Genes at Newcastle University’s Hatton Gallery. Additional exhibitions include the Five Arts Cities poetry postcard project at Seven Stories and a solo art/poetry exhibition at The People’s Theatre in 2006.

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