Pictures and Postcards
Mountains to mist, Beckett to boxer to blonde-
platinum of course, looking me straight in the eye,
over the slope of her shoulder.
She says nothing, and a million things.
not one can I catch as, like the accusations, I fly.
I’m back on the midnight bus as it pulls out and pulls in
passengers from the random roundabouts of my youth,
girlfriends dressed to kill and dying from the cold.
Yards and years away are barges passing,
coal powered, just like the square panes of light from the
Arndale block that lure people like moths.
The bigger picture hints of a hunt, of war, of winter,
brothers in arms, their quarry sought their silence confident,
reflective, pleased with themselves and whatever they have done.
I remember their faces peering in from the streets to the dreamy Cafés
‘Stay a while’, they seem to say, ‘Drink your coffee,
Compile this list for lesser days.’
Mountains to mist, Beckett to boxer to blonde-
platinum of course, looking me straight in the eye,
over the slope of her shoulder.
She says nothing, and a million things.
not one can I catch as, like the accusations, I fly.
I’m back on the midnight bus as it pulls out and pulls in
passengers from the random roundabouts of my youth,
girlfriends dressed to kill and dying from the cold.
Yards and years away are barges passing,
coal powered, just like the square panes of light from the
Arndale block that lure people like moths.
The bigger picture hints of a hunt, of war, of winter,
brothers in arms, their quarry sought their silence confident,
reflective, pleased with themselves and whatever they have done.
I remember their faces peering in from the streets to the dreamy Cafés
‘Stay a while’, they seem to say, ‘Drink your coffee,
Compile this list for lesser days.’
(First published in The SHOp 27 Summer 2008)
15 comments:
I like the way you play with words and make them work for you TFE. The reader has to play along with you which makes it more interesting.
I like the idea of compiling a list for lesser days - I do it all the time and always have done. It is a perfect antidote to boredom. Have a nice weekend TFE
I love the image of the soldiers looking benignly into the cafes - like alien species contacting each other. Very evocative.
A intriguing list here, TFE, reminiscent of our dear American lister, Walt Whitman.
Have my Monday poem all set to go...
Photo, too! *in the voice of Glenda the Good Witch (Wizard of Oz)*
"She says nothing, and a million things.
not one can I catch as, like the accusations, I fly"
Your poems could so easily be killer songs!... You write some killer hooks :-)
Lesser day compilations... keep doing these things... ! or else!
really nice TFE, love "dressed to kill and dying from the cold"
Thanks for reading, Heather, glad you liked it :)
Nice Weekend it is weaver, the sun was actually SHINING yesterday!!!
Thanks Artsparker, I like your take on the poem,it's always interesting. :)
I've heard the name must look up some Walt Whtman poems,there are SO many poets I've never rerad, it's embarassing.Monday poem AND a photo? Bonus points and a gold star, Jeanne!
Thanks Mrs Niamh, I liked that line too.I'm getting ready for your radio show right now,can't wait for the mystery phone call. :O
TFE - so you think you have set us too hard a task for Monday - you say on my blog that you think some might not post a poem tomorrow.
I have to tell you it is jolly hard and I am strugglin but i shall post one come what may. So be under the station clock at 7pm on the dot - see you there!
On a more serious note - Last year I did a creative writing course which was very stimulating. It was followed by a poetry course which was really not very good. I have to say that your Monday meme has made me work harder and think more creatively than any course I have ever done - so eleven out of ten to you for that. Why not run an on-line course???
TFE....SOOOO excited because the Yankees have just clinched the Eastern Division Title!!! Yessss!! Now it's on to clinching the American League title and then the World Series (Which really doesn't include the whole world although it should....only Canada....oh well...October Madness has just begun!)
Now....I shall be quite distracted all morning tomorrow, so I'm posting my poeme avec le photographe right now. Hope you enjoy it! : )
Wonderful lines - especially the ending:
'Stay a while' they seem to say, 'Drink you coffee,
Compile this list for lesser days.'
I think "Lesser Days" would be a great title for a book of poetry.
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