Sunday, April 18, 2010

Poetry Bus Poem - something a bit unreal

So this week's poetry bus is being driven by Pure Fiction... the instructions were along the lines of

"I want proof of higher life. I want uplifting stories of helpful spirits. I want stories of joyful moments of synchronicity that couldn’t have happened without the intervention of some higher power.
I want joy, I want tears, I want laughter, I want truth. I want moments or stories where the real world grazed the spirit one. "


Most stimulating and imaginative, I think you'll agree. So my little effort is below - I think I'm still recovering from doing the driving last week - so to find some even better bus poems - be sure to call over to Pure Fiction here...

The Extras

We, the hundred extras, we play a million parts

Tickets takers, people in the next chair,

At hairdressers, on the bus, we’re farmers at the mart

An exhausting tour, demanding schedule

We watch your every move, we read your blog

And we are cursed, damned to share your knowing smiles,

We compliment your dog,

Forced every day to follow you, we’re ready in a squint

To play soccer in the park, or stroll along the path,

or dressed nicely exit church, leaving pretend mass,

or stage a real mass if you choose to go

or offer you a mint

An endless show, the costumes, make-up,

Different walks, traits, all skills mastered,

Just as extras in your life, the people you won’t know

At concerts we’re the bouncers, late - the band,

Take turns at bumping into you, jumping tight and close to you,

The rest of the crowd are CGI, and traffic jams are planned

Remote controlled by the producers, we cautiously swap cars,

Keep a flow of angry looks, we look convincing

We change our clothes in time to queue with you

For a taxi driven by another of our number

Be nice to us, we’re here for good, and we’ll return the favour.


16 comments:

Rachel Fox said...

Have you seen 'Coraline'? We watched it again the other day and it's great and this reminds me of it. Watch it and see why!
x

Pure Fiction said...

I really like the ambiguity of this, and the way you've thrown in some great details that. Nice one!

Totalfeckineejit said...

Ooh Spooky paranoia.Am I the only real person in the world?

Niamh B said...

Tks Rachel - haven't seen it but will have to check it out now!
Thanks Pure Fiction, and thanks for a great challenge and a lovely bus trip so far... and It's not even Monday!!!
TFE - you are the most real person anyway, that's for sure. :-)

Karen said...

This one is a thinker! It merits another read, but I'm liking it already!

Titus said...

This is fantastic - really caught me. I can see what Rachel means about "Coraline", but we can't say that name in our house as it scared the pants off one of our number.

Seriously, I loved this. Such ease, so deep, so layered.

Peter Goulding said...

I used to wonder as a kid in a completely egocentric world if I was the only person in the world and the world was arranged around me.This brings that back!
And the rhythm of the poem works very well. Far from a"little effort" Niamh...

Enchanted Oak said...

Yours is a haunting poem. It has an otherworldliness about it that is strangely serene.
Mine also talks about tangential people.

Niamh B said...

Thanks Karen, not sure it does! But thanks :-)
Thanks Titus - I really must watch the film... though I don't like really scary things, a bit of a wuss that way.
Thanks Peter - most boys go through a phase of that, glad you got out of it ok!! (many never do!)
Thanks EOak - looking forward to taking a look at yours later! :-)

Kat Mortensen said...

Love this! I'm going to be looking over my shoulder everywhere I go now, and thinking twice about who is speaking to me. Really great!

Kat

Dominic Rivron said...

Really liked the amusing rhyme: "...read your blog/...compliment your dog".

Set me thinking about other "blog" rhymes...

Niamh B said...

Thanks Poetikat! - If you see walkers diving into ditches, you'll know now they're only going to change their outfits.

Thanks Dominic - here's a few snipped from the internet as a shortcut (if you like shortcuts - if you don't, then don't read on)


bog, cog, fog, hog, jog, log, tog, catalog, frog, smog, clog, flog, agog, slog, grog, frog, eggnog,
synagogue, analog, dialogue,
Epilogue and snog.

Domestic Oub said...

Good poem. creepy.

Niamh B said...

Thanks Oub!

Argent said...

How refreshingly original! I'll be taken a closer look at the 'extras' now - I've alreays had a feeling that there are only so many faces in the world and I'm sure I've seen repetitions here and there. Now I know why.

Niamh B said...

Thanks Argent - I've taken to marking them with permanent marker, it's the only way to be sure