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
I enjoy this afresh every time I read it.
ReplyDeleteGood poetry is like good music, it can be read over and over - and there's something new with every reading.
I find, with this one, that I read it diffrently every time. I wish there were a way of showing the emphasis in written pieces without the method getting in the way of the words. Ach... you know what I mean! ;)
DeleteAnd, of course, thank you Paul.
Delete