Imogen Cassels

Imogen Cassels’s collection Mother; Beautiful Things came out in April.

Poem: ‘French Work’

Imogen Cassels, 10 May 2018

after Holly Pester

I never meant to see you walking out at night, boy gap among the rose-rows, my lulla my lulla my etcetera. I am a mock of atoms. Watching the bone china seethe at dusk, praying for the gas gas, making lace: French work. It is an ugly life. With rough hands, made for quick work. Locomotion. Things come to pass away easier in the dark, sewing the baby to sleep. What what I...

Read anywhere with the London Review of Books app, available now from the App Store for Apple devices, Google Play for Android devices and Amazon for your Kindle Fire.

Sign up to our newsletter

For highlights from the latest issue, our archive and the blog, as well as news, events and exclusive promotions.

Newsletter Preferences