Ephemeral Fair & Plastic

In the interests in broadening our horizons, this section is devoted to verse which falls outside the parameters of rhyme and metre, such as blank verse and free verse. Registered users are welcome to post their original works here.
Post Reply
User avatar
Maureen K Clifford
Posts: 8047
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2010 10:31 am
Location: Ipswich - Paul Pisasale country and home of the Ipswich Poetry Feast
Contact:

Ephemeral Fair & Plastic

Post by Maureen K Clifford » Sun Jul 22, 2018 3:06 pm

Ephemeral Fair & Plastic... Maureen Clifford© The #ScribblyBark Poet

Did you know the Annual Fair is on this Saturday?
Can we go Mum? Can we go? Oh please say yes we may.
Can I wear my Orange dress? It’s bright a bright can be
Will we take Toms purple pram? I wonder what we’ll see?

The ground is littered with paper wrappers
and tumbling plastic cups,
straws and polystyrene bowls,
discarded bread crusts –
pecked by fluttering drab brown sparrows
and pigeons...
all amidst the feet of the milling crowd.

Inside the pavilion on white paper wrapped tables
floral tributes are arranged,
and fresh picked plastic wrapped fruit.
Rosy red pippins, downy peaches, Peckham's pears
triumphantly displayed
in all their splendour.

Walk down sideshow alley where garish fibre optic signs
flash and sparkle.
Fortunes told by a Turkish delight,
fluorescent green ghosts gasp and groan entrapped
forever in pinball machines
that rattle and roll.

Wide mouthed clowns grimace as unfeeling people
force white balls
down the red valley between their teeth.
Behind them shelves full of plastic buckets and spades,
lemon yellow teddy bears,
plastic dinosaurs and disney characters...
trifles and trinkets to win.

As starlight slowly breaks through the purpling sky
and daylight departs
in a flash of orange splendour,
tired grizzling children and frazzled adults depart
from the glitz and razzle dazzle
which has entranced them.

Their pockets emptied of gold and silver. Their heads ringing with noise.
Let me tell you it all becomes a little boring after a while
but the kiddies like it – they say.
Plastic windmills whir in the breeze.
Every pram has one – bright orange and purple.
And helium balloons,
also planning their escape.
Check out The Scribbly Bark Poets blog site here -
http://scribblybarkpoetry.blogspot.com.au/


I may not always succeed in making a difference, but I will go to my grave knowing I at least tried.

Neville Briggs
Posts: 6946
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2010 12:08 pm
Location: Here

Re: Ephemeral Fair & Plastic

Post by Neville Briggs » Sun Jul 22, 2018 5:11 pm

I used to enjoy the Easter Show, I guess it was like that. :( :cry:
Neville
" Prose is description, poetry is presence " Les Murray.

User avatar
Shelley Hansen
Posts: 2224
Joined: Sun May 04, 2014 5:39 pm
Location: Maryborough, Queensland
Contact:

Re: Ephemeral Fair & Plastic

Post by Shelley Hansen » Sun Jul 22, 2018 8:29 pm

Trouble is, Neville - fairy floss just doesn't taste the way it did when we were kids. I'm sure they've forgotten how to make it! ;)

Vivid word-picture, Maureen - I like (and am dismayed by) the imminent escape of the helium balloons in particular!
Shelley Hansen
Lady of Lines
http://www.shelleyhansen.com

"Look fer yer profits in the 'earts o' friends,
fer 'atin' never paid no dividends."
(CJ Dennis "The Mooch o' Life")

Post Reply