Instead of a new poem therefore I offer you a very old one (it's at least ten years old... probably more...but it is about roads...). I wrote it back in the days when I lived in very built-up areas and only got out to space and countryside now and again (very different life now of course). In particular, I wrote it after a walk all around the Haworth area in West Yorskhire. It's an area that looks a bit like this:
And here's the poem:
Quarter to four
I spy
Country types
Proud
To be worse than us
To Speed
Down windy smelly roads
In straighter newer vehicles
To nearly run us down in fact
Well what are we?
Worse than livestock
City dwellers
Idling in
And all around
Spots of beauty and history
We're all the same
We block the lanes
We stand and sigh
They can't get by
We irritate
They're late to get
The kids from school
We sigh again
“They don't appreciate
Their lives”
And harder still back home
We sigh
Where roads are all there is
To spy
RF maybe 1998
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24 comments:
I love the differnt feelings you have created those of the countryside and those of the townies
I started off in a village then moved to gradually bigger and busier places. Then 8 years ago I went back in the other direction and now I live in a village in quite a quiet area. All this means I feel a bit neither nor these days (not a country person nor a townie really) but wherever I live I'm not keen on people who drive too fast. Death in a car crash or accident always seems like the biggest waste possible. Killed because someone was rushing to buy a pint of milk or whatever - it's just so stupid.
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Not quite the poetry bus but totally a lovely poem. :)
Thanks TFE. I've tweaked it a bit but it's more or less the poem I came up with back then.
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My fave lines:
"Well what are we?
Worse than livestock
City dwellers
Idling in
And all around"
We have those here, city dwellers getting drunk on our wine and driving too fast down our winding roads. It's the locals who idle.
We're all the same
We block the lanes
We stand and sigh
They can't get by
We irritate
They're late to get
The kids from school
How well this captures the frustration of being stuck in a narrow lane with no passing places! I'm glad I dont drive...
Yes, EO, bad behaviour isn't limited to any one geographical group!
Hi Jinksy - driving is a blessing and a curse, I think. I have a licence but these days I'm not much of a driver. It's too much like warfare at times.
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There speaks a poet with both knowledge and insight. Each line brought a response from some mem ory in me.
Why Mr King, I'd forgotten what a remorseless flatterer you were!
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I quite like the contrast between the driver and the pedestrian. Beautiful poem.
Greetings from London.
I love this poem! You capture both sides of the story very well.
I've been both - & in most cases I'm the impatient one :) My husband, on the other hand, tends to mosey no matter what. In some of our rural areas I'm afraid that moseying will get him shot (just kidding)...
Thanks folks. Glad you enjoyed it.
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It's so true - the point you make about rushing and running, and I like how you turn the normal cliche of country folk being the easy going ones on its head here, backed up by your observations.
Nice one.
There seems to be quite a rural - urban divide on the bus this week. Personally, I can't believe its not the poetry bus.
I suppose I am interested in divides between people of all kinds (why they exist, how they come into being, how they keep going, how they show themselves, who is ruled by them and who isn't...). We seem to excel in continually inventing new ones anyway so plenty to work on!
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As for the Bus - usually I get some idea about something from the prompt (even if I don't really want to!). But this week - head was empty.
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New or old - you joined in the spirit of it with this pome
I wonder what the collective noun for city types would be?
Lovely poem
Nicely observed!
Really nice contrast and depiction of the exasperation on both sides.
Really like the rhythm of this - it's lovely and taut. Have to admit to feeling a leetle frustrated with the city dwellers now and again - particularly the ones that come around in coaches and buses.
Poetry bussers, however, are always welcome.
Glad you didn't mind my old clothes for this one, Pixies. As for that collective noun... a crush, a sweat, a busy? It's a long while since I lived in a city (over 10 years) but as with most things I remember that how much money you have makes a big difference (one person's huge city mansion vs another's overcrowded flat...not really the same experience...).
Thanks to others for calling in. And Pure Fiction... I know what you mean but I do remember that feeling of shock you can get as a city dweller when you're suddenly somewhere with space and fresh air - you just want to stand still (for hours) and breathe it all in. Well, sometimes. I remember hearing children's writer Michael Morpurgo talking about how he does farm holidays for city kids - a brilliant idea and great fun too I should think.
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Loved it!
These lines particularly
Well what are we?
Worse than livestock
City dwellers
Knock-out in twelve syllables.
You're always so positive, T. Where do you get that from - could you send me some spare?
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I personally blame it on some deficiency.
However, were you to ask Craig what he thought of that description, he may find it hard to recognise. My worst is always, ever and only for him.
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