Maud Watson, Florist
Wednesday 23 November 2011
bred in a market arch
a struggle
in a city’s armpit
that flower
in your time-rough hands
a beautiful girl in a slum alley
all that kindness in your face
and you’re right
the times are not what they were
this England’s not what it was
flowers shrink in that crumbling vase
dusk creeps in on a cart
and Maud the sun is choking
Maud this island’s sinking
and all that swollen sea is
the silent majority
waving
a struggle
in a city’s armpit
that flower
in your time-rough hands
a beautiful girl in a slum alley
all that kindness in your face
and you’re right
the times are not what they were
this England’s not what it was
flowers shrink in that crumbling vase
dusk creeps in on a cart
and Maud the sun is choking
Maud this island’s sinking
and all that swollen sea is
the silent majority
waving
Keith was born in Newcastle upon Tyne where he has worked as a community development worker, poet, librarian and publisher.
He is co-ordinator of the Northern Voices creative writing and community publishing project, and has organised several community arts festivals in the region.
He recently compiled and edited books on the Durham Miners’ Gala and on the former mining communities of County Durham, the market town of Hexham and the heritage of North Tyneside.
This poem is from his most recent collection The Month of the Asparagus, from Ward Wood Publishing, 2011.
He is co-ordinator of the Northern Voices creative writing and community publishing project, and has organised several community arts festivals in the region.
He recently compiled and edited books on the Durham Miners’ Gala and on the former mining communities of County Durham, the market town of Hexham and the heritage of North Tyneside.
This poem is from his most recent collection The Month of the Asparagus, from Ward Wood Publishing, 2011.
Well Versed is edited by Jody Porter.
