SLIP SOME SILVER

Here's a revised poem. The earlier draft is here. Once again have to thank The Secret Poets for their invaluable input.

CHARLIE

finally the shooting stops

Charlie gets the train to Venice

where the sandbagged statues

tax his imagination

after all that khaki and the hard won miles

he’s seen so much these past six years

he goes to La Scala

as opera never fails

to bring out the beauty

they’ll ship him home soon

and he’ll slip some silver

to the demob tailor

who’ll cut his suit

with a little more care

Charlie will wear it

like they all did

down at the dance

on a Saturday night

where he’ll meet my mother

and then my story will begin

Essentially they suggested "down at the dance" rather than my Widnesian "down the dance." I agreed because I wanted the poem to be as easily read as possible. I changed the fifth and sixth lines around in the first stanza, as when I read the poem aloud, it sounded better to my ear. There will be a new poem next post.

I just want to repeat the information about my new book, The Wait of Water, which is available to buy now. Contact me at thewaitofwater@outlook.com for details.

Here's The Mountain Goats with an old favourite.

Until next time.