DOUGLAS LIPTON (MAREA BRITANIE) Always There Lawrence is always there on the bench in front just turning at the

table or shouldering the door-jamb. Lawrence is always there one footprint on the beach his heel on the verge his knee on the counter edge. Lawrence is always there reading books on Cortez and Gila Monsters and munching chevda. Lawrence is always there at the bar with Bunnahabhainn in the Indian cloth prim denim and suede. Lawrence is always there since years and years ago below in the stalls Row D Seat 8 a smile like mink. Lawrence is always there in at the beer tent Lawrence is always there Lawrence is spongy and I know his surname but I shall never tell it. Look there he is in the telephone-box and at the next urinal trough and thats him just getting off the 59. Lawrence is always there. Lawrence is always there. Hes in the corridor in the waiting-room in the arcade in the gallery in the bureau asking in the sweet-shop in the bus-queue in the hot-house

by the orchids. Lawrence is always there. Lawrence is always there on the veranda with a bag of perkins buying postcards of old Glasgow at the kiosk for a paper in the basement antique saleroom. Lawrence is always there. Lawrence is always there beside the marble woman statue between the Cycad and the Tree Fern. Lawrence is always there his lambent mannerisms licking past me in the vennel with an interesting parcel and a guitar. Lawrence is apace Lawrence is engrossed Lawrence is venereal Lawrence is always there Lawrence is a Collard Dove Lawrence is a barnacle quick-fingering the current hes a butterfish a blenny and a seam of cinnabar and hes always there, oh, Lawrence is always there. Lawrence is always there.