An Introduction to Electricity

An Introduction to Electricity


A dark room;
Chinese lacquered chairs,
Incandescent gas mantles,
Faded sepia photographs showing
Proud missionaries posing
Midst exotic palms,
Chintz curtains and Persian rugs
All infused with the stink of lamp oil
And strong peppermints.

Old Mother Goward
Patted flat her long black gown,
Adjusted the vicious pins
Holding the tight grey bun of wiry hair,
Leaned forward and peered through
Silver wired spectacles
At the child on the mat.

"Never climb a telegraph pole!
Evil fairies live there.
Young Sam did so last year,
Fell like a shot pheasant
Stone dead!"

For years I thought her
A scary old lady and
This tale burns in my head
For ever,,,
Words and purpose now understood,
The power of that moment remains.

But she made good lemonade!


FIL  02/04/09

“High Brow” (revision)

“High Brow” (revision)

The conversation bubbles and pops round my ears,

Arcane theories and fashionable quotations

Sparkle and drift in the light haze of amber smoke,

Vanishing in the updraft through her Tiffany lamp,

Enlightening only dragonflies en route,

(As bound in glass as my understanding),

Dissipating over a high brown ceiling.

FIL  04/02/10