Colin Dardis

Study of a Piece of Wood

Colin Dardis

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Judging by lensed eye,

six times as long as wide.

Pale sand in colour, marbled

with light brown groove of burnt egg.

Knots of grey as used fat

coagulating to gristle in frying pan.


Unknown wood type,

if only from ignorance of origin species.

A centimetre or so in depth.

Reasonably smooth edges

allowing for a uniform rectangle.

Some frayed jaggedness at one end.


Possible slight crack or indent at bottom.

Left side favouring straight line pattern,

while two clear ring patterns, elongated ovals,

lie one after the other on right side.

Apparent divisional line cuts through plank,

off-centre, as if to mark this separation.


Currently studying object from distance of six feet.

More detail would require closer inspection.


Colin Dardis


Colin Dardis is a neurodivergent poet, editor and sound artist from Northern Ireland. His work, largely influenced by his experiences with depression and Asperger's, has been published widely throughout Ireland, the UK and USA. His latest book is Apocrypha: Collected Early Poems (Cyberwit, 2022). His latest album is Funerealism (Inner Demons Records, 2022).

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