On the record© GERALD ENGLAND
I had placed on the player
Floyd Cramer
played
"For Those That Cry"
Meanwhile I sat in the chair
feet on the stool
in front of the warm fire
sitting in comfort
with Floyd's piano
in my head
that was thinking of you
far away
After the record stopped
I remained a while
seated
listening to the hum from the silent record-player
the sound of the gas fire
the traffic outside
and the tick
of the clock
The clock struck the hour
With the chime removed
it no longer strikes a clear note
but a dull resounding thud
Eventually
I got up
changed the record
turned down the heat
made supper
Finally
Whether for you or for Floyd
I cried.
Composed: Sheffield, 10th August 1972
Publications
1972 FOR HER VOLUME ONE (Pontefract, Poet's Press of Osgoldcross)
1973 ENVIRONMENT (Thames Ditton, Ember Press)
2000 Snakeskin (Internet)
Nice pacing in this. I get the whole picture one beat at a time. I love the record player, too. In 1994, I was cleaning house when one of my high school students dropped by. I had a vinyl copy of Ozzy Osbourne's "Bark at the Moon" in my hands. The kid loved the huge cover picture, so I said, "Take it. You can have it." The kid said, "How do you play it?"
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