Salford, 14th November 2018
Memories of a mate, brought back in an instant
A blast from the past, delivered with a click
Noted – you’ve not talked for a while
Changes in address do that
Hoping – they remember your name
Expectations raised as they recognise your face
Someone should have said – its the passing of time
Talk about the old days, in a familiar place
Engaging about others
Round a table with Tea and cake
Note from Inky:
Cheers to
https://serafinajayne.wordpress.com/2017/02/09/friendship/
for the prompt
You’ve been around for a bit
going round in the same circles
but passing each other without noticing
You shared everything
from gobstoppers to pencil cases
and spots on the high school bus
Your paths met
a lifetime fork in the road
as you went one way, and they went another
You wandered where they ended up
No phone calls letters or e-mails
Till one day – a message – “You’ve got mail”
Arrangements made
and best suit pressed
for a meet of the whole year – most impressed
And as you reach, the dance hall door
your old friends sat waiting – like you knew them before
as you head out to venture the dance hall floor
blood rushing quickly to the cheeks
like something out of a mills and boon novel
unrequited romances brought to life on
school hallways or stairs and
hailed to all and sundry from the response
Sat in class with pen in hand
English teachers lesson planned
write us a poem, without any rhyme
you have a few days – there’s plenty of time
So inspiration i did seek
going through books for a week
and every page would set up the same
with two words a rhyming – without any blame
Sing a Song of Sixpence, Jack and Jill
Humpty Dumpty, all from the quill
of a master writer, who’d mastered his art
and educated fellows – would tear it apart
I did my best – and restored a piece
giving the rhymes their release
but end of the day – i’d return to that book
as i liked the original way that they looked
Inky, enters the TARDIS again….and lands in Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC High…third year english..and the origins of his poetry
I recall old wooden benches – the ones with (ironically) the old inkwell’s set into the base.
Mountains of Books handed down from pupil to pupil and placed strategically on what i’d now call the Northwest corner of the table
The teacher would begin – and then stopping at a paragraph – he’d pick a pupil at random, going around the classroom
Young minds caught on tenterhooks as the class ventured their way through the story.
On one or two occasions – the book matter changed – the hardback stories stayed where they were – to be returned to on another occasion – and the brightly coloured books were passed from pupil to pupil
The Adventures of Isobel….The Nonsense poems of Ogden Nash….pieces from “Local” poets….Roger McGough, Brian Patten (The regional difference hadn’t hit me in my formative years), not forgetting “The classics”, Kipling, stephenson and all.
And there would even be the time where an adolescent squeaky voice – changing by the day with puberty would have to deliver one or two pieces
“Isobel met an enormous bear….Isobel, Isobel, didn’t care”
(Ogden Nash – The Adventures of Isobel)
I’d write away in my exercise books with glee guided by the work of these poets
it’s something thats stuck with me ever since.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC High School, 1987
Stood inside the “New” Amalgamated school by Buile Hill Park, in Salford.
Two sets of kids awaiting to go off to lessons – but first – the set up of forms
The classes had to be put together – Cathedral with St Lawrence’s.
you couldn’t tell them apart – similarity with the standard kit – Black/Charcoal Grey Trousers, White shirt/blouse (light Blue was allowed), Navy Blue jumper….
and of course…the school tie.
The boys would always do something with their jumper – round the shoulders or tied round the waist
The girls on occasion would do the tomboy thing – wearing the school tie whilst messing with the regulation skirt
In the crowded school hall , friends wave to one another that they recognise – How?
The School Tie was ever so slightly different in the way the light blue stripes landed on the dark blue….and till the new stock came in – that’s the way it would stay.
They wore them like badges of honour.
#Colouryourworld #Cyw #Pinksherbet
Sweet to me that’s what you are
Hot pink sugar fizzing on the tongue
Every girls favourite candy
Running riot at the school hall hop
Boys cant wait for the chance to
Entertain you on the dance hall floor
To grab a taste of your kisses
#Coloryourworld #cyw #pinkcarnation #acrostic #pinks #flower
11th April 2017
Could it be
A reason why I never can forget you
Real beauty – enveloped in a dress the colour of that flower
Never forgotten that spring night after
An attempt to grab your attention
Tomorrow, they say – is another day, but
I can’t get the vision of your smile from my head
One day – the fairytale might come true, but its
Noted you’re wearing that flower tonight
Maybe it was the fact – I knew the way,
Edging to go down this way and not the other way I knew
Moments recalled – at the sight of an
Old rusting metal fence, encircling bright shiny new towers
Recollections of a time – a place of learning was here
In which i’d learn my craft, hone my skill
And gain a respect and love for the thing I appreciate
Long since replaced – the place of learning…but its fondly remembered
In response to the daily post discover challenge Connection
Connection
by Brian F Kirkham
3rd August 2016
When we were younger
we played in the park
communicating between trees
through a piece of string
Walking hand in hand
through the marigolds
whispering sweet nothings
as we picked daisies
Playing games
Sharing laughs
on the swings
in the park
Growing up – still friends
but distance the great divider
as you flew over land
my feet on the floor
Good Friends apart
the string uncut
now sharing messages
over the internet
