Hope Street (revisited)

I take a wrong turn
I'm trying to find
the new age healers place
and find myself
in Hope Street
standing by the iron railings
(they've repainted them)
and Luigi's on the corner
isn't Luigi anymore
and seems a lot less
comfortable
than the whisked coffees
and sweetcorn soup
that came with a
free mini baguette,
I bet the paper bags
are now designer marked.

I take a peek beyond the
railings and wonder
if my 'bench' is taken
the one just under
the granite porch
but alas, it has moved
and a fancy bench and table
is now placed
beneath the chestnut tree
adding much needed shade
and green
on sun parched lawn.

It has been hot of late
and the tattoo parlour
has gone, I wonder where?
Then I see a paunch
and faded blue shoes,
no socks, trousers to short
and ACDC shirt
from sometime, not recent
year dot I suppose.
I lean back
make myself invisible,
I love Hope Street
but sometimes
it is best not to revisit
it takes the shine
off memories.
So I let the ghosts cavort
amid the gravestones
and the giggles of the children
as they peak between the rails
sound like birds
that chatter in the trees.




Poetry by Elle The PoetBay support member heart!
Read 736 times
Written on 2019-08-15 at 16:43

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Lawrence Beck The PoetBay support member heart!
I'm visiting my hometown, from which I moved 38 years ago,
and I am feeling the same sensations. Nicely done, Elle.
2019-08-17


josephus The PoetBay support member heart!
Good to hear from you again Elle. Love the reminisces. Going back is always bittersweet but it's good to reach out to the touchstones of our past. Wonderfully written.
2019-08-16


jim The PoetBay support member heart!
I love this. We all have our Hope Street, and the up-and-down memories that go with it.
2019-08-15