Portrait of the Girl

PORTRAIT OF THE GIRL

She is in love with her dream,
a dream that has substance
in flesh, blood, bloody flesh
Strong man, rich man, powerful man
Her love is real it is a dream
He is there, knows it, sends her
thousand dollar checks but he
does not send himself
His time can not be spared
from champagne balls,
from the filmstar goddesses

She rejects all other love
for undemanding dreams
that find kisses elsewhere
Her child uncle love
does not need physical gifts
Sex enough from wife number four
He takes only the toiling of her soul
over which he alone has power
Her unhealthy body is her own to give
as bait for others to boost an ego
totally separate from her dream

And when the substance of the dream
dies she will doubtless cry
But the tears won't wash the dream away
The grief will pass when the will's been read
And when her soul is at last set free
will it fly to new aesthetic heights
or fall into remnants of brick and mortar
and the filthy lucre that accrues ?
And will she take another love,
retreat into a comfortable, reliable post,
or live at last and dream no more ?

© GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Pontefract, 20th January 1973

Publication

1992 The People's Poetry

Fust Moiter-Car

It looked a bit like this but less shiny - from original images of a car sold on Car and Classic.

FUST MOITER-CAR

That fust moiter-car Ah ivver did owhn,
shoo war nivver up ti mich
Ah nivver dare tak her on t' moiterway
fer fear on her brekkin dahn

I' Ah ivver gat her up ti fifty mahles an hooir
shoo used ti shek abaht lahk a jelly nutset
Two on tyres war ommost new and two war pretty gooid
bud t'spare war worn an nut much cop

Shoo hed ti goa ti t' scrapyerd, Ah'm sorry ti hev it say
fer t' fuelpump packed in; t' carburretor went anall;
t' engine war rockin an t'sterter-moiter cracked
an one o' t' windscreen wahpers hed jacked i' in

Mi back-suspenshun war affy rough
an t' gasket-seeals war leeakin oil;
t' plugs war fouled an t' points war pitted
an t' body war ommost rusted reight through

T' brakes war efter relinin an t' clutch gat stuck i' third
Shoo needed complete new wirin an ither sich-like jobs
soa i' t' end shoo simply hed ti goa
that fust moiter-car Ah ivver did owhn

© GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Pontefract, 5th May 1969

Publication

1990 Yorkshire Dialect Society Transactions (UK)

Fire

FIRE

A fire burns
in the poet's soul

How many
on seeing the smoke
stop to warm themselves

© Gerald England

Composed: Pontefract, 1st July 1968

Publications

1968 Breakthru (UK)
1986 Weyfarers (UK)
1990 Omnific (USA)
1992 STEALING KISSES (Hyde, New Hope International)
1992 Palpi (UK)

Revival

REVIVAL

E lad, hasta heeard?
The' say at rock-n-roll is cumin back.
Ah dooan't beleeve 'em mesen,
Wah! It's to gud to be reight!

Ted cum hooam thro t' fact'ry
Ti t'waife an her Yo'ksher pud',
An switch'd on t'wireless;
The' were playin an "Oldie
Frum t'hit-parade o yesteryear",
It were Bill Hailey an his Comets
wi "Rock arahnd the clock".
E an he smahled did Ted
As he thowt ow i days o auhld
He slashed cinema seats a' t'flicks
Wi t'local gang o teddy-boiys.
The' thowt at flahrs wer sloppy
An nobbut fer kids an t'wimmen;
The' wer noan on this hippy stuff i them days!

His waife looked at him an shoo sed,
"Ere, w'at's tha smirkin at?
Get thi dinner dahn thi an hev done!"
Soa Ted ate his dinner an ha' done.

Nay lad, rock-n-roll ain't nivver cumin back,
Wah! It's to gud to be reight!

GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Pontefract, 20th March 1968

Publications

1968 Yorkshire Dialect Society Summer Bulletin (UK)
1970 MOUSINGS (Sheffield, Headland)

Why Did You Come?

WHY DID YOU COME

Why did you come? Why did you come?
that evening seven years ago?
All the trees were covered in snow
You had no money for your taxi fare
and you laddered your stocking on a broken stair
You drank of whole bottle of very best sherry
You called me "Mon Cheri!"
when I dropped the picture on my toe
that evening seven years ago,
why did you come? why did you come?

Why did you come? Why did you come?
that evening seven years ago?
Handel's second flute concerto
was issuing forth from the gramophone
and neither of us that night ever felt alone
Though we said very little what we said meant a lot
for our passions were hot
I wished in my heart you hadn't to go
that evening seven years ago,
why did you come? why did you come?

Why did you come? Why did you come?
that evening seven years ago?
I'll never rest until I know
You came at nine and did not leave till eight
Bacon, egg and sausage was the breakfast you ate
It wasn't to wish me a happy December
No! Wait! I remember!
Of course! You came to tune the piano
that evening seven years ago,
That's why you came! That's why you came!

© GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Pontefract, 5th April 1966

Publications
1972 THE WINE THE WOMEN AND THE SONG (Pyle, Kenfig Press)
2006 Bolts of Silk (Internet)

Friendship's Smile

FRIENDSHIP'S SMILE

  Friendship's smile is often dry
       for behind a warmth doth lie
  No need for gifts of shining gold
       What value do these hold ?
            Gifts seek a return
            and wise men discern
            Return then is not
       and that's the giver's lot

  Friendship's smile need not be dry
       for behind a warmth doth lie
  A gift though barely touching strife
       the token of a life
            No return is sought
            'Tis not even thought
            but friendship is got
       and that's the giver's lot

© GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Pontefract, 4th April 1966

Publications
1967 Tait's Quarterly (UK)
1976 MEETINGS AT THE MOOR'S EDGE (West Kirkby, Headland)
1990 The Third Half (UK)
1992 Alternative (USA)