Sunday, July 18, 2010

Poetry Bus - Argent at the wheel

So Argent gave us a choice of two fantastic premium and yummy tickets for the bus as follows:

A: Excursion to the Comedy Store

Now we all know comedy is not easy to do, but I know from past experience that there are some seriously (sic!) funny people out there. Dust off your tickling sticks, put that water-squirting flower in your lapel, strap on your handshake buzzer and let's make with the funny!

B: Tunnel of (unrequited) Love
We had the slushy Valentine's stuff earlier this year, but it's not always easy to love and not be loved in return. What's it like when that certain special somebody doesn't even know you exist (it's called stalking - Ed). Are they with someone else? Are you jealous? Come and share the bittersweetness with your bus-travelling friends.

You'll find her blog with the rest of the bussers at some stage here....

I went for option B with a little dash of A


24 comments:

Unknown said...

What a great piece. Very evocative so true to my memories of those family holidays
"Between leaning on mean steel shelves

with coins that never got pushed o’er the edge

and pretend smoking chocolate cigarettes

we made them up in our heads,

didn't know what we wanted,

but knew we did want"

That's the verse that did it for me - it's perfect it encapsulates all of my experience of that type of holiday.
Wonderful truly a delight to read

Argent said...

Smashing evocation of seaside love and how time and distance attenuates it. The final stanza wraps it up so nicely too.

Erratic Thoughts said...

Holy Moly..
This is so good...
You did a great job with a dash of A in B...
~Cheers

izzy said...

What fun and it made my face burn!
thanks!

chiccoreal said...

Dear Naimh: Lovely poem about courting those hunky Welsh boys! I think I remember how the folks were in the picture and then when you had a crush, well at that age; how could it be so easily requitted? Remembers those early crushes so well and probably the same time frame in the 60-70's? Well I certainly can relate my dear!

The Bug said...

This is great! I remember a distant cousin coming to visit when I was an adolescent - I had SUCH a crush! Sigh. Wonder what he's up to now?

Peter Goulding said...

I bet it was Daniel.

Yes, this rings very honest!!

Niamh B said...

Thanks Gwei Mui, very kind words
Thanks Argent :-), thanks again for great driving
Thanks ET, glad you liked.
Tks Izzy - the heat should go down again after awhile - like 20 years later...
Thanks Chicco! Twas probably more a fascination than crush, I would have been terrified by any attempt at reciprocation, think I was about 10/11, so late 80's in terms of timing, but that's gas that your crushes relate!
Bug - how distant? There's definitely a post (or at least a poem) in there!!
Ah Peter, I guess we'll never know - even if he was reading this I doubt he'd recognise himself....
Thanks all

Enchanted Oak said...

Gosh, golly, gee whiz! A CRUSH. I remember that! The summer I was 12 we had a gorgeous lifeguard working for our family park's pool, and he made me dizzy with desire. Thanks for the memory!
Masochistic Rhythms

Niamh B said...

Tks Oak, :-) lifegaurds rock!

Domestic Oub said...

You know what I like most about this poem? It's deceptive simplicity. Excellent.

Niamh B said...

ah thanks Oub, most kind

Dominic Rivron said...

" they could say how they loved us really,/could worship us remotely from Wales" Poignant gentle wit. I used to like chocolate ciggies. I'd forgotten until I read this.

Dr. Jeanne Iris said...

This is delightful! How exciting love is at that age when it's just a bit out of reach, isn't it?

Dianne said...

so much unrequited angst from our teen years. what happens when it hits in menopause?
fun and real
Dianne

Niamh B said...

Tks Dominic - I know the chocolate ciggies were great, on that trip we found toy ones that really made smoke (fake smoke) but it was too hard to fit that in the poem.
Thanks Jeanne - yes - tis a time of great excitement indeed!
Oh Dianne, I'd love to hear the answer to that one?! Tks for your comment

Titus said...

Oh, this read as real, and I lived every moment of it. Stunning work.

Batteson.Ind said...

Beautiful poem... brings to mind those youthful crushes perfectly.. very nice... I've missed so many poetry buses!... and I have sooooo much catching up to do!

Niamh B said...

Titus, - thanks - was real at the time too, nearly found the keyring to prove it and all, but then didn't.
Tks Watercats, I hope you make it onto mine - instructions up on yesterdays post!!

Totalfeckineejit said...

Great work Niamh, real feelings beautifully conveyed, everything and nothing, the key rings sum it up at the end.Magico!

You're not supposed to smoke chocolate cigs? Feck.Now ye tell me!I was on 20 a day, every single one of them melted down me gansey.

Niamh B said...

Thanks TFE - yes they're very dangerous when smoked, you probably had terrible lung problems down the years with them too

Anonymous said...

Massive hit of wonderful nostalgia, so evocative, thank you.
cfm

Kat Mortensen said...

You have captured this so well and with such great detail. The mascaraed hair, the choc cigs, the swimming pool, the safe distance - and the final key-ring. Oh, this is sooo good!

Kat

Niamh B said...

Thank you CFM and Kat, look forward to seeing ye on the bus next Monday!!!