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Tuesday 30 December 2008

Monday Poetry Train Revisited #8

Written for Monday Poetry Train Revisited
CHRISTMAS NIGHT 1993

It was Christmas night about fifteen years ago I didn’t shout help.
I didn’t have a phone heating water or electric in that squat.
It was flummin’ freezing that night just like it is right now ice and snow.
The last candle had died and I had no matches left to make a fire.
I pulled the newsprint blanket over my head and tried to get some kip.
But there was no sleep to be had that night in that old ramshackle gaff.

The rats and roaches put paid to that and then there was one massive crash.
I looked through the crack in the boarded up window, it was just some drunks.
They were kicking empty crates on their way home from the rub-a-dub-dub.
Smashing them against the steel shuttered shop fronts on the parade outside.
They staggered on shouting and swearing and soon they were out of my view.

As I watched another character came by, a Rastafarian.
A blanket over his left arm and clutching a brick in his right hand.
Without a second glance old Dreadlocks dashed the padlock off the shutter.
Rolling the freezing cold steel cover up to reveal a plate glass door.

Like a bull at a gate he charged with the blanket placed over his head.
Leaving a Rastafarian shaped hole in what used to be the door.
Just a few seconds later, he came skipping out onto the cold street.
He was carrying a heavy blanket, full of cigarettes and booze.
He had already disappeared out of sight when the alarm went off.
MSC301208

15 comments:

  1. I enjoy stuff like this- great..an quite discriptive!

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  2. I like your Rastaman-Santa...was he going to stuff the kiddies' stockings with his loot, I wonder?

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  3. Thanks gmarie, glad you enjoyed it!

    Hi Angie, I hope not, booze and cigarettes don't go down too well with kids!

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  4. Andy,

    This is wonderful. You are one of those who writes really good poetry out of everyday occurences. Another is Pat Paulk. Do check him out from my blogroll.

    I like the roaches and rats bit so much. Drunks or not, this reads like a song as most of your works. Have you ever thought of publishing or song writing? If not do it. In 2009!

    About inviting to Poetry Train, I have not done much publicity although I started it in Nov. I thought I do not need to. But then I did not get participants either. So I am doing it now slowly and painfully going around inviting my blogger friends in a very unplanned way. Problem is I don't know how to go about it other than leaving a link at all the posts I visit. I would have got around you today but you beat me to it!

    I am very glad you did. Please do keep it going. I think we need to spread the word around.

    Sorry for hogging your blog space!

    And a very happy New Year to you.

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  5. Thats like poetic story. Like it. How do you spin poems from everyday occurences.

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  6. some really strong images in this - it made a great read!

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  7. Interesting read.

    Thankyou for visiting my pages.

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  8. Hi Gautami, I think you're doing a good job on the publicity front for Poetry Train. I did see many links to and mentions of PT on different blogs over the last few weeks and even had a look myself a couple of times. I think the main problem you face is the fact that there are so many memes and prompt sites around at the moment and people can only contribute so much.

    May I take this opportunity to wish you a very happy and prosperous New Year!
    Andy

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  9. Hi Jeeves, glad you like it, I guess I'm just a boring everyday person who records what they see, sorry.

    Thanks Sister AE!

    Hi Asma Ahsan, thanks for visiting STG..

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  10. Cold, vivid, shocking- needs to be told and you did so quite well.
    Thank you for your strong feedback on my blog and wanting to come back! Flattery works a charm, but as a STG, you know that :)
    Here's a special poem for Poetry Train (and any other prompts I can attribute it to, because time is limited.)
    I Want to Hold Your Hand

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  11. Hi Gel, thanks for the comment!
    I just read your poem.
    Love the way you set it out - so unique!

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  12. Your piece truly is a reminder for us all to be grateful for what we have. Thanks for sharing.

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  13. Hi John, thanks for visiting STG..

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  14. Hey Andy. I love the style of writing here. Short sentences and a big story. Have a fab 09.

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  15. Thanks Brad!
    Happy New Year to you too!

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