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Likestarlings is a place for talking in poems. We pair poets with poets and they write a sequence of six new works by responding in turn to one another. Our palaver blog goes beyond poetry to discuss collaboration in theory and in practice. Please take a look, and feel free to add comments, opinions and suggestions here. Read poems here
 

Marrakech


I have taken my photographs
of snowmen to Marrakech,
where it is raining more than
it has rained for thirty years.

The souk turns to mud;
men sit on tins of paint,
vipers in damp baskets sleep.

Mahmoud studies snowmen
and laughs at the one who sits
cross-legged leaning back
on a bench in Regents Park.

In the evening he cooks
his spiced tagine
with apricots and plums.

He slices oranges in circles.
Arranged like flowers on a safii dish
they are dusted with cinnamon
and turn to amber in the candlelight.