The White Ball

(after Ivan Puni: 'Construction With White Ball', 1915)

‘What is this?’
the eager museum lady asks;
‘A Ball!’ ‘A Ball!’
chorus the children.
She tosses them words –
’synthesis’, ‘construction’, ‘colour’ –
they wait in vain
to catch a white ball.

from Not Fade Away, Poems 1989-1994. Published by Bloodaxe Books 1994.