Nether

From the prologue to Nether:

The following poems were written while on the London Underground, and, by way of spoiling the senseless purity of this theme, in train stations. Also buses. (I think they were entirely night buses, though my notepads offer no confirmation.)

Events described in the poems happened for the most part while they were being written. Where speech is recorded (in italics), it was likely heard only a few seconds before inclusion. ‘\’ indicates a switch from a platform to a train, and ‘/’ indicates a switch from a train to a platform. The poems are in what I believe to be chronological order, stretching from spring 2013 to summer 2015.

I am aware of the voyeurism of this method, or what in hindsight I call a method. I am also aware of – but possibly do not fully understand – the arrogance of collecting and taking seriously a selection of poems which in sum would not pass a breathalyser test.

I am absolutely unaware of what the city is. But this is fine. Its complexity and essential unknowability are the blanket under which we sleep, dozing rat-like in the tunnels.

We sleep soundly, bar the odd nightmare.

Edward Knight
London, October 2016

Featured image by Edward Knight
Posted December 2020