SCRAP PAPER POETRY- Barcelona, a Friday, 2007...

This is an old theatre that I saw that day

I am a hoarder and once in a while I try and declutter. This last week I was sorting through some old papers, prior to recycling and I found a draft of some poems that I had obviously put to one side and forgotten about.

I remember clearly the events the poems described. I was lucky enough to be in Barcelona with a free day, and nothing to do. I should explain that we are fortunate to visit the city frequently and over the years I have seen all the attractions. On the rare occasions when I have a free day what I like to do is simply to ride the Metro, observe people and see where I end up.

I took this at one of the stations I visited

There was a prelude to the poems at the top of the sheet:

Take the L6-as six was your childhood lucky number and lilac is nearly purple; the colour of Reiki. I am on an adventure, randomly riding the metro for the day

This describes my rationale for selecting the Metro line L6. I wanted to go to parts of the city I had never been to. I decided to get off the train at places I liked the names of. The station was busy and when I left on a different train I watched a man jump on board just as the doors closed. There was a woman who was a split second too late, as the train pulled out she seemed to glare at the occupants of the carriage.

he sprints for the train

leaps aboard all Hollywood

the star of the movie of his life

she is a second too late

the closing doors lock her out

her eyes accuse

each person in the carriage

as the train pulls out

As I remember I got off at Tres Torres and found myself on a busy street. I then changed lines and end up at a park.

an upright piano

(rawlbolted to the spot)

prompts people to play

i watch

iisten to notes rubbing shoulders

in unfamiliar combinations

resist the urge to touch the keyboard

as its exactly what I am supposed to do

the sun clouds over

i walk away

As I read the scrap of paper I thought that the lines would work better in a different sequence.

Originally the second poem began:

Rawlbolted to the spot

The upright piano in the park

Prompts passers-by to play

I thought that the alliteration was laid on rather heavy and detracted from what I wanted to say. I changed the lines around because I liked the idea of the first image being the piano in an unusual setting rather than the industrial rawlbolt.

I also opened the poem up, spacing is important and it is worth playing about with the layout as it can change the feel of the poem.

No, I'm not in goal for writing bad poetry, just the other side of a set of railings

I am not sure that I have captured the caterwaul of sound that cascaded from the keyboard (see what I mean about how alliteration can be as much a hindrance as a help).

Originally in the metro poem the woman clocks each person in the carriage. As I read the poem the memory came back and partly for dramatic effect I decided she could glare at the passengers.

What do you think?

I am leaving you today with a song. Here's the late John Martyn signing Spencer The Rover.