Martin Elder

cracked

by Martin Elder

Wednesday 20th September 2017 10:09 pm

He rides his bike on the pavement

On the road

Where he pleases

Cutting his own track across town

Through park and green

On kerb and street

No gap too small to fit

Just like when he was kid

Punching the pavement with his spit

His expression says

Yeah I know?

Through sun and rain

Any and every way

Is his

Sometimes riding

Against the traffic

on the other side of the street

weaving ranging

cutting swerving

on one wheel laid back

sometimes hanging bags of shopping

on his handlebar

a spare wheel in one hand

balancing

entrancing all who see him

with his skill and his daring

his snarl says

Yeah so what

🌷 (4)

◄ Rested

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Comments

Andy N

Wed 4th Oct 2017 12:36

the atttiude really shines through here with this Martin. You work really well to the ending. very good writing indeed.

Martin Elder

Sun 24th Sep 2017 16:00

Thanks Ray, Nat, Randy, Col, Stu and Patricia for comments and thanks to Desmond for liking
Ray this guy that I saw certainly had attitude, he didn't give a monkeys

Nat
I know what you mean about people watching. people are fascinating ad good material for writing. I would have love to have met some of the characters that Dickens mentions in his books.

Randy
You are right about no gaps to small , plus some people are just chancers anyway

Colin
I saw a programme a while back about some bikers in London who seemed to take it as a sport to ride wherever and whenever they want to abandoning any sense of danger , through red lights etc. As ray points out reminding us of the recent episode when a guy on a fixed wheel killed a woman crossing the road

Stu
I think that there is something voyeuristic about us all at times we just don't like to admit it

Patricia
now you are bringing back memories of not only choppers and they way they were ridden but also space hoppers.

That said folks I am a regular bike rider and have to confess to riding on the pavement at times as it is a lot safer than some of the roads as some motorists view cyclists as the enemy. I am always careful to watch out for pedestrians I might add and tend to give way to them. I do not condone in any way any sort of reckless behaviour.

once again thank you all for taking the time to read and comment. very much appreciated
Cheers
Martin

patricia Hughes

Fri 22nd Sep 2017 21:51

I love this,reminds me of my brother riding on his chopper,he did not give a flying shit about anything when he was on that bike,a beautiful act of defiance.
Gorgeous poem.

Stu Buck

Thu 21st Sep 2017 17:30

i agree with nat, like a voyeuristic people watch and as well written and picturesque as usual.

<Deleted User> (13762)

Thu 21st Sep 2017 08:34

topical also for the groups of youngsters riding in packs through city streets pulling tricks and wheelies. I know it's dangerous but it looks kinda wicked too. I remember fitting them big wide handle bars to our bikes in the 70's which made us feel like we were in Easy Rider but they were too easy to snap if you pulled too many wheelies. In the end I think we had bars welded across to give them extra support. Those were the days. But I'm not condoning any of the unruly practices in your excellent poem Martin.
C?L

Randy Horton

Thu 21st Sep 2017 07:17

I would be impressed to find anyone in England who finds "no gap too small to fit"! Very evocative.

raypool

Wed 20th Sep 2017 22:32

This is all attitude Martin. Even as a kid I remember the bravado of guys like this - they were called yobs. Often with turned up dropped bars (cowhorns). I suppose a forerunner of the bikers. Not to say there weren't genuine adventurers. The poem moves nicely and takes us back. In addition, it is topical in terms of the recent jailing of the fixed wheel twat with something to prove.

Ray

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