After Pissaro

He entered a room
for a view of the oldest
standing bridge in Paris.
Pont Neuf,
a strength of architecture
stands without houses.
Here the bouquinistes
tried selling books, pamphlets,
before being driven away
to the banks of the Seine.
His early canvas
for a new, tragic century,
a glimpse of people,
those anonymous shadows
with hushed umbrellas
on a snowy day,
observed through rented panes.

Byron Beynon coordinated Wales's contribution to the anthology Fifty
Strong (Heinemann). His work has featured in several publications including San Pedro River Review, Cyphers, Nixes Mate, Wasafiri, The London Magazine, Poetry Wales, Third Wednesday, English: The Journal of the English Association and the anthology The Polaris Trilogy (Poems for the Moon - published by Brick Street Poetry, Inc 2023). He is the author of several collections including The Echoing Coastline (Agenda Editions). His most recent collection Where Shadows Stir (The Seventh Quarry Press) was launched at the birthplace of Dylan Thomas, Swansea, in February 2023.