Leadbeater, Neil

England, (b. 1951)

THE BRITISH LOP

I think of you in Birdlip, Boxwell and Bisley –
how you made a name for yourself
with those long dangling ears.
No wonder we christened you ‘Floppy’
not in a droopy, flabby way
but to lure you back with pig-chatter
to acorns at our feet.

THE GLOUCESTER OLD SPOTS

One spot was all we needed
to accept you into the Registry.
Welcome to our books.
We are glad we spotted you –
your good mothering ability
that is – your docility too.
We know you won’t blot your
copybook. The neat entry
in copperplate
is proof enough of that.

THE SADDLEBACK

We called you ‘igpay’ in Pig Latin,
‘pig lily’ the Lily of the Nile,
as we shoveled your feed
into the trough
and watched you muster
on the saddle-shaped hill
your flared nostrils
sensing the sustenance
of kitchen waste –
a meal fit for a King.

THE TAMWORTH

Between Polesworth and Lichfield
these ginger-coated animals
are never far from the trough.
Their thoughts do not stray
to receptacles for kneading,
brewing or tanning, to channels,
gutters or conduits,
hollows between wave crests
or elongated areas
of low atmospheric pressure.
They only think of bread.

These four poems are all © Neil Leadbeater. Reading between the Lines. Sudbury, Suffolk, UK: Littoral Press (2020).

About the Poet:

Neil Leadbeater, England, (b. 1951), is a poet, author, essayist and critic. He was educated at Repton and is an English graduate from the University of London.

Leadbeater’s work has been published widely in anthologies and journals both at home and abroad. Now based in Scotland, he is a member of the Federation of Writers (Scotland) and one of the Burgh Poets (Stirling).

His many interests embrace most aspects of the arts and, on winter evenings, Leadbeater enjoys the challenge of getting to grips with ancient, medieval and modern languages. [DES-10/21]

Additional information:

Neil Leadbeater at poetry p f, a showcase of poets writing in English.
THE POET magazine – An interview with Neil Leadbeater

Editor’s Note:

Neil Leadbeater is a friend of Porkopolis.org. I appreciate his overture that I might include these four poems in the Best Loved Pig Poetry section of Porkopolis.org.

And while I skirmish with my own fates and devils on cold Ohio winter nights, I’m gladdened to recall that a worthy poet-at-arms such as Neil has accepted the challenge of bolstering our grip on our language history. Thank you, good sir!