Peter Lilly

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Apricot Tree

W e    a r e    g o i n g    t o    p l a n t    a n    a p r i c o t    t r e e 

W e    a r e    g o i n g    t o    p l a n t    a n    a p r i c o t    t r e e 

W e    a r e    g o i n g    t o    p l a n t    a n    a p r i c o t    t r e e 

W e    a r e    g o i n g    t o    p l a n t    a n    a p r i c o t    t r e e 

W e    a r e    g o i n g    t o    p l a n t    a n    a p r i c o t    t r e e 

W e l c o m e         l, o v e’ s         c l i’ m b i n g        m e m o r y

W e l c o m e,        l o! v e’ s         c l i’ m b i n g        m e m o r y

W e l c o m e         l o v e,’ s         c l i’m b i n g         m e m o r y

W e l c o m e         l o v e’ s          c l i m b i n g         m e m o r y

W e l c o m e         l o v e’ s          c l i m b i n g         m e m o r y

L i k e   a    c h i l d    a s c e n d i n g    a n    a p r i c o t    t r e e 

T o      w a t c h      t h e      f i g h t     a g a i n s t     t y r a n n y 

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“This poem plays with the erasure and addition of letters in a short sentence to draw lines between organic growth, childhood play, love and memory, to resistance against tyranny and the enduring of suffering.” —Peter Lilly

Peter Lilly is a British poet who grew up in Gloucestershire. After studying theology and working with the homeless in London, he moved to the South of France in 2014. He lives in a rural village with his wife Silje, and son Gabriel, where he concentrates on writing, community development and English teaching. His debut Collection, An Array of Vapour, is available with TSL publications, and his second collection, A Handful of Prayers, is available with Wipf & Stock.