Sunday, October 16, 2005

Fish Sandwich


A thin girl in a turquoise top
Looks at me and smiles
Or maybe she is smiling at her boyfriend’s joke
Or the lopsided sign behind me
Or maybe she is gazing
Into the middle distance of her memory
And recalling the time
Her mother fell and was caught
By a clown in a spotted smock

We are sitting at the Canadian Bar
On the Left Bank of the Seine
Just round the corner
From where Picasso painted Guernica

And Jill looks over my shoulder
And, seeing the opening lines, writes in my book
Does she want my fish
For a sandwich then?

And I laugh and say, Fish?
A fish sandwich?
And Jill laughs too
And says no – fist!

13 comments:

Roger Stevens said...

Just got back from a long weekend in Paris. The weather was hot and sunny. I wrote some poems – first drafts of which will be appearing here over the next couple of weeks I expect. I needed the break to get over not getting the three book deal from Hodder. The editors all liked the story but the sales people were not so keen. And you have to have the sales people on board.
Paris was great. We took Jill’s aunt from Canada with us. The weather was hot and sunny. We ate all our meals outdoors. It was like summer all over again.
We also visited the Dada exhibition at the Pompidou Centre. It was just brilliant to see all those pictures in real life. I don’t know what the Dadaists would have made of it through. But two rooms of Schwitters and Duchamp’s iconic works. Marvellous.
In our absence Jill’s mum (who was housesitting) hurt her back and foot and Judydog fell in the pond.
But we’re all back now, safe and sound. A rehearsal tomorrow night and a school visit on Tuesday. I’m a trifle weary and so I’m for an early night I think.

{illyria} said...

i would read anything with the word turquoise in it. needless to say, this was charming and it made me smile.

Wastedpapiers said...

We are very envious of your trip to la bell Paree and the dada show- you lucky swines! O to be rich, but I will have to content myself with a day trip to Chester.

I had a strange and vivid dream last night us repelling burglars from a tree house we were living in. They were climbing up a big white ladder and I was dropping things on their heads as they climbed up. Eventually they went back down again.

What can it all mean?

Russell CJ Duffy said...

Ditto Michael's comments!
Paris sounds great for this time of year.
I am planning to take Jasmine there next year for her fiftieth birthday bash. Not to Paris itself but Disney Paris. Stay in the posh pink hotel. Triouble is I am skint so will have to tsart saving like the clappers!

Anonymous said...

I love Paris at this time of year! Great poem!

Russell CJ Duffy said...

Your arms spread wide self picture has gone.
A new one about to appear?

Hope the copied CD arrived safe and sound?

Wastedpapiers said...

Hazel said
merci beacoupes pour mon votre flutterby..si vous ples le petite chien ..ouvre la fenetre dans la maison....
et sur le table....
God I really hated learning french at school!
Thank you for our beau presents.
x

Sue hardy-Dawson said...

Hot and sunny sounds wonderful, back to reality yuck. Another nice snapshot, better than a picture

Roger Stevens said...

Well, CJ, I was trying to upload a new pic and it went a bit wonky.
Thanks for CD - I'll be replying soon to thank you proper like.

Roger Stevens said...

I've uploaded a new pic for my comments etc. I did it through Flickr. Yes, I have joined the Flickr club thanks to Michael who thoughtfully invited me to join. The picture doesn't work very well though. I'll have to find a better one..

Sue hardy-Dawson said...

Like the new picture is it a drawing?

Anonymous Poet said...

What if the girl had been wearing a spotted smock, and the clown had been wearing a turquoise top? Now, that would be something to laugh at!

: )

sylviasometimes said...

I like the new picture &
so glad you've joined flickr...
my black eye has only a little twitch
from Jill's hearty fist sandwich.