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There's a town

There’s a town

Where there is a street

Where are all the cobbles polished

By the rain

Solid and set for good

Each and every house one after another joined at the hip

Slates cut perfectly aligned

Where the rain falls

In steady showers

Off rooves down pipes

From cast iron

Black as night gutters

And doors shuttered but never locked

Red steps meticulously cleaned

 

There is a street that is free

Of paper broken glass and weeds

Because folk are proud

Of windows that never jam

And widows all dream

Of once again meeting their true love

Even though he may never return

Where the privy’s cold

But no one ever complains about getting stuck to the seat

Where the milkman whistles

And the postman always smiles

And passes the time of day

 

There is forever a place where we can remember

The days of war

And of strife

Days of a nation cut and spliced

There were towns like these

With streets like these

Where the home fire was still burning

The kettle on the range

And the whistle still spoke out across the factory gates

 

There is a place we can remember

For the dead

The shattered and the blind  

◄ Born into this suit

A winters tale ►

Comments

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Martin Elder

Mon 2nd Dec 2019 08:30

Hi John
Thanks for reading and commenting. I also remember the days of the coalman among many who delivered services to each house.
Cheers
Martin

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john short

Sun 1st Dec 2019 17:59

The poem carries a strong sense of the past. Of times gone sadly forever. Not many milkmen left these days (or coal men). It evokes my childhood. Not a million miles from some of my stuff. Nice one!

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Martin Elder

Thu 14th Nov 2019 19:47

Thank you so much Hannah. I am glad you liked

Cheers

Martin

<Deleted User> (18118)

Wed 13th Nov 2019 22:18

This is fantastic. The imagery, the reality.
One of the best I've read.

Hannah

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Martin Elder

Mon 11th Nov 2019 09:38

Thanks to Lisa and Trixtex for the likes. Also thanks to Kate for commenting on this piece. It was something I wrote about a month or mare ago and hadn't quite finished it. As I worked on it I realised it had a particular resonance for Sunday so I decided to post it.
Thanks again

<Deleted User> (22444)

Sun 10th Nov 2019 13:10

Hi Martin, I love the twist in this - the change in tone from nostalgia to brutal reality. Really well done. I read it several times....

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