Event Poems
Snowbound in Didcot, when I've been desperately hoping to get Wales, as my Dad is in Hospital. His operation was meant to be yesterday, but it was postponed, because they needed the theatre for a more urgent operation. Needless to say, this is stressful.
I've been distracting myself by finally typing up poems and stories from my backlog of several notebooks. Here are a couple of recent event poems, in free verse:
Santa in Debenhams, Credit-Crunched.
Wandering lost and alone through the children’s department
Of Debenhams; he used to have a grotto; a 1980’s wonderland.
Fake snow, jingling tunes, winding queues, animatronic elves.
Grizzling children, nodding reindeers, candystripe giant lollipops.
£3.00 entry fee, Polaroid with Santa and lucky dip included.
Santa on his throne, children on his knee, when it wasn’t suspect.
Plastic white beard, round spectacles. My nan knew Santa:
“Hello Vera”, he said. “See you later down the darts.”
Now: no grotto, no throne, no animatronic elves, no presents,
Lapland hit by the credit crunch worse than Iceland,
Reindeers repossessed, sleighs sold off. Elves in Administration.
Santa skulks through a forest of 60% reduced Bob the Builder Pyjamas.
Solemnly, like a red and white-garbed Priest he steps,
Through the retail pathways of economic decline.
Last Day for Woolworths, 3rd January 2009
Up the steps
From Didcot’s shabby
Christmas Tree,
Listing left, in a bucket.
Woolworth’s windows
Wallpapered
Bright yellow
Red and white
Black, Black,
Everything Must Go
70% off
Store Closing
Last
Last Day Today
All Stock Reduced!
The doors sweep open
One last time.
Almost picked clean
Empty Pick N Mix containers
For sale
Yellow and black plastic
Crime scene-style ribbon
Cordons off the empty areas
Dregs left:
Woolworth’s own brand
Worth it!
CD Cleaners £1.19
Dalek Sec mask £6.00
The staff room kettle £5.00
Staff room chair £10.00
The music playing
The Final Countdown
By Europe: irony?
I buy a bottled water: 29p
So long Pick N Mix
Cheap CD’s
So long Woollies
Another gap in the high street’s smile.