The Invisible Republic

June 2006

Beneath the streets
There is an alternative geography
The real map.

None of your old borders,
No names of kings or saints or generals
Are known here.

Railtracks swerve
At Tottenham North Curve Number 1.

In the sewers, London city limits are
The Northern Outfall and Southern Outfall.

Following the true map,
You catch the sidewinder Labrador Current
To the North Atlantic Gyre.

It’s a workable world:
Digswell,
Dock Junction.
Fleet River Tunnel.

It’s another world, one I’m less tired of.

There are many of us who will declare ourselves for this,
Though we don’t belong anywhere
And never thought we’d be doing any declaring.

These are signposts of the invisible republic,
The world which opens up to us
When we forget the rest.