A Poem by Jon Stone

Les hasards heureux de l’escarpolette (The Swing)

after Jean-Honoré Fragonard

They’ve all broken in. The floating girl
in her blancmange of petticoats,
who kicks off her shoe
like a ravenous convict tossing away
a sucked-clean bone.

The one who grips the ropes of the swing
as if losing control of his chariot.

And the hatless little priest
for whom an angel just blazed into view.

They’ve all broken in
to the nuage d’orage
in a flying machine.

Jon Stone is a Derbyshire-born writer and editor. He has previously won an Eric Gregory Award, the Poetry London Prize (twice), and the Live Canon International Poetry Prize. Alongside Kirsten Irving, he co-edits the 10 Poets series of anthologies (2024 to present, Sidekick Books). He teaches at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge. www.gojonstonego.com