Old

Old Shoes

Character, Clothes, Poetry

Salford 23rd September 2018

I remember the day i first bought them,

fresh out of the box and smelling like they’d just come out of the factory

They fitted my feet nicely, but i’d been told i needed to break them in

so over the next few days – i wore them in the house

as i got the feel of them i took them down the Trafford Road

getting them wet in a Greater Manchester rain storm

being well waxed – it didnt effect them for a while

time however is a fickle thing – and my shoes have lost their hardened exterior

My slippers look on in envy, as my feet feel comfy in the broken down softness

wont be long before a trip to the shoe shop – and a rendezvous with the recycle bin

Hidden things

Memories, Poetry

#Promptuarium

13th September 2018

Hidey Holes in the place where I rest my head

hold memories, to recall and to cherish

programmes of events and photographs

uniform pins of times gone by

Old cameras look on in awe as

24 stills turn to 48 turn to over a 100

as film turns to cartridge and to chip

how many memories are on the corner of my desk ?

Archives of old journals and diaries

now playing hide and seek

in the corner of a wardrobe space

On occasion, shown the light to read

And what of the tapes and videos

now boxed away ?

The machines can no longer play

Tape recorder occasionally used,  video cassette – gathering dust

Wrinkle

Animals, Poetry

Salford 17th March 2018

Wrinkle

Another day goes by

Another crease forms on the face

A new laughter line joins by the eye

Age they say is a concept

You can be young – even after fifty,

Experts say (at the age of thirty)

I smile at that assertion

as i look at next doors pug – wrinkly and ruffled

Old age hasn’t bothered him – he still chases around the garden

Pitch War

Birds, Buildings

Salford 6th June 2016

 

I don’t know really whether or not the change of use of the building on the corner of my street is a blessing or a  curse.

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against development – before the past owners of the building left – the department of work and pensions, it was an interesting sight seeing the local winged wildlife share room with those looking for work.

The building – sixties style with Victorian features – it served its purpose

but then they moved out – and for some strange reason somebody got a wild and crazy idea

LET’S TURN IT INTO FLATS!

So, those in the know spent two or three years drawing up plans.

Of course, whilst this was going on – the local winged wildlife started to occupy the roofspace….it became a crème-de-la-crème of nesting space

And then the builders moved in – and for those who haven’t heard BBC Radio comedy – it was like an early episode of “The Goons” – Namely “The Starlings”

Thing is – though the builders seem to have won – the starlings given their flying orders and the builders turning the old dole office into apartments for those on the nearby quayside…the winged army haven’t gone that far…some of them on sentry duty by nearby private housing across the way.

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And as you can see they’re keeping watch….