Is Nothing For Keeps?

Gold cherry

By Gothicman

Sun, 23 Aug 2020
  • 410 reads
12 comments
 

the lottery of childhood destinies

 

Shuffling, patiently waiting,
the Young sisters, Doris and Yvonne,
looking silly in their pinned-up napkin hats,
dragging old, worn high-heeled shoes
hopping and clopping behind them, and
their wayward brother, Johnny Young,
who once dropped a brick on my head,
taking it all far too seriously;
standing stiffly to attention
throughout the ceremony.
And Valerie Bush from the posh house
next to the nursing home,
so unsporting looking demurely adulterous
on Jane Upton’s own special day
in white-edged maroon blazer,
red T-strap sandals,
and blue be-ribboned straw hat.

All hold an arch of birch twigs
behind me and best man, Michael Portway
who sports an old tin warden’s helmet,
"Your brother home from the front!”
Jane, beautiful bride, shrouded in lace
curtain arrives in solemn procession
on the arm of tall Tony Bush,
awkwardly patriarchal, self conscious
ducking shyly through the cruel,
unyielding branches.
And the ceremony, full of enthusiastic
muttering of “Will yous?” “do yous?”
repeated promises and offered suggestions,
followed by several opportunist “I wills”, and
the bride kissed passionately amid giggles and
hidden red faces, and now....

I see Doris. She never married,
lives alone with her cats.
Yvonne, has severe arthritis,
gets around on elbow-crutches.
Johnny operates a high crane.
Michael killed at sixteen,
riding pillion on a motor bike.
Valerie personally assists an EU Minister,
while brother Tony is a Wing Commander, RAF.

Jane and I did marry after university,
both of us twenty-two,
three children came along, but,
we divorced after twenty years.

At a work's Christmas party,
to my regret,
I discovered lying maturing inside,
the now primitive, erotic effect
a seductive scene-stealer,
once had on me.

 

 

 

(with thanks to Susan Holt)

Goth:2020

 

Certificate U
Poem
Romance
Historical Fiction
Biography
Love

Comments

Submitted by mark_say on

I like the way you capture all the uncertainties around individual destinies with a few brief snapshots.

Submitted by Gothicman on

Thank you! The play of marriage is as roughly remembered with real neighbouring children named; the rest just fantasy, for I, like many probably on here, used the old Friends Reunited site (now defunct) to get in touch with many old childhood and school chums, and the diversity of fates was equally unpredictable, some tragically cut short early, some quite, or incredibly successful, some with luck badly dealt, others with later lives quite uneventful! Strange, all the winding paths we take. Thanks again.
Best, Trevor 

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

The title of this poem drew me in straight away. Those people that we shared moments of our life with, suddenly gone, either moved on to pastures new or now deceased.

You have a way of describing people in such a poetic way and it shines through.

Jenny.

Submitted by Gothicman on

Thank you Jenny! We children then had some lovely old phrases didn't we? The days of analogue playing when TV and all other leisure technique was in its infancy too! I think many writers and poets, who are probably more interested in people and their fates than most, were drawn to the Friends Reunited site, curious about how things turned out for old acquaintences. Here, a mixture of old nostalgic memory with some fantasy added. I definitely did not marry Jane though, even as pretty as she was, that much is true! Hahaha!
Trevor

 

Submitted by sean mcnulty on

This marvellous, and bittersweet, poem is our Facebook and Twitter pick of the day. Please share and retweet.

 

Submitted by Gothicman on

Thank you Sean, humbly pleased and chuffed by the honour. Feels very encouraging, and that others found it a rewarding read too.
Best Trevor.

 

Submitted by onemorething on

I enjoyed this very much, some great turns of phrases, like 'demurely adulterous' which made me smile.  Excellent poem. Rachel 

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

A gallery of friends and acquaintances from the past skilfully portrayed. It is like browsing a photo album, spotting individuals and remembering their idiosyncrasies – Valerie Bush 'so unsporting looking demurely adulterous' -

A very enjoyable poem worthy of the Pick, Trevor. yes

Best, Luigi

 

Submitted by Gothicman on

Thanks Luigi! Valerie Bush actually became a Primary School teacher at first, even teaching at our old school long after I had moved away, and then went on to become a successful full-time artist in the West Country, Cornwall, I think. A boy's favourite then, her being awarded the temptress's role was not quite such a random choice, I must admit! Lol!
Best, Trevor
 

 

Submitted by Gothicman on

Thank you Rachel! Yes, you could only use some of these phrases looking back on childhood times, of course, but, here it bodes well for later developments, being very relevant to the messaging. Children's play, always fun to write about how resourseful they can be, as here with very little to actually play with! Glad you liked it and thanks again.
Trevor

 

Submitted by hudsonmoon on

I love when I can read a piece and say, I know these people. You've captured it all so well. Much enjoyed, Gothicman.

Rich

 

Submitted by Gothicman on

Thank you Rich! And apologies for the delay in replying (been hiking with overnighting!) Yes, just a typical bunch of kids from a particular point in history. Always humbling to hear later of the different directions and fates met by each of our old childhood chums if able to get to know how things turned out for them in some way. Here though, only the childhood play scene authentic, the rest just poetical licence, and I'm glad the descriptions seemed to have worked in developing the plot of the story. Thanks again!
Best, Trevor