Lyrical brief Legal wordsmiths came out of the woodwork last week with National Poetry Day and a special breakfast event held at Clifford Chance by the Poet in the City scheme.

Our request for poems from two of the leading lights in Poet in the City - Rosamund Smith of Bates Wells & Braithwaite and Frances Hughes of Hughes Fowler Carruthers - were met only with shyness, but fortunately others, such as Philip Pollecoff of Pollecoff Solicitors, sole practitioner Adam Taylor and Clifford Chance partner George Staple QC, stepped into the breach.

We will print more in a future issue, but here is one by Mr Pollecoff, called 'Joining In':Those abandoned orchards,the remote sound of a shotgunthe military crop of the hedgerowred berries fallen on mud.Empty branches hanging claw-likeand us all wrapped up.Marco's scarf trailing on the ground,unhurried he is examining a corroded plough.Elaine breaking off some chocolateand I watch the landscapeabsorbed by its violence.How it can cover up livesturning them under its groundhow it can cradle lovershow it can harbour thieveshow it is workedand has always been sweatedand how the orchards are waitingfor a fresh planning permission.How it is manufacturedand how it reflects us.I chew the chocolate,Marco wants me to race to the nearest tree.