Fallout

rain fell differently that year
air hung on its chains
clothed in a plume of ions

it lay beneath the ground
bitter as history
or a buried tongue

some said the sheep were glowing
in the dark
ghosting fields with blue light
their hooves dusted with stars

lambs with two heads
plucked from their mothers
as preachers crossed themselves
sprinkled unholy water

larks’ songs sparkled
with particles
fish were darting torches in the river

I marvel still
at the brilliance
of my wings

The Chernobyl disaster of 1986 affected
farms in North Wales for many decades