Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Newcastle Serenade


On the train to Newcastle
I can hear a small orchestra
Violins and woodwind
Drums
And a crooner

I look around
There –
In the luggage racks
Musicians
Giving the train
A sophisticated swing
It’s almost jazz

And the conductor
Sways down the aisle
With the microphone
I am tempted to join in
But instead
I point out to him
That this carriage
Is a dedicated quiet carriage
And so could he please take his orchestra
Elsewhere?

13 comments:

EATING POETRY said...

This poem and the last are very interesting: they started off on the note of being in love with life, embracing it.. and then in the last lines you disregard it all and tell the conductor to go away, or you sit down instead to eat your pizza.
Hmmm... very interesting phenomenon.

By the way, since I enjoy your blog so much, I linked you to mine.

Later, Khaya

Roger Stevens said...

Hmmm, I see what you mean. Well, in the first one I guess I'm saying I'd rather be at home writing and watching the birds out of the window - and in the second - well, you're right. I just set the whole thing up for a cheap joke.

Wastedpapiers said...

I much prefer a cheap joke to those awful packaged jokes with layers of polythene you have to peel off and the hidden pins that get your fingers when you put them on. Sorry, i thought you said shirts?

Russell CJ Duffy said...

Cheap jokes?
Cheap tricks.
Cheap laughs.
Cheap thrills.
Cheap.?
Cheap.
Cheep, cheep.
Who let that bloody bird in?

Roger Stevens said...

Cheap Thrills in the back of my car...

For two points name the artist.

BTW like your new picture, Michael. I can't get mine to work!

Sue hardy-Dawson said...

The other day on the train to London there were enough phones going off to sound like a strange morning courus. I have to say I kind of thought how odd when it was mentioned that there were quiet carrages, but I suppose that's cause I never have mine on cause I'd get a detention, pizzas get everywhere don't they

Russell Ragsdale said...

You should see train travel in Kazakhstan! They are rolling bazaars! BTW made pizza at home not long ago, it was lovely, but then I don't travel that much these days.

Russell CJ Duffy said...

I was going to say, and because of your love of Macca, that it was from his 1971 album RAM. A song entitled, strangely enough, 'Back Seat of my Car'.
but?

Wastedpapiers said...

It rings a Ray Davies kinda bell but maybe not? I should know this one.

Wastedpapiers said...

Or is it Frank and the Mothers?

Shubhodeep said...

'I am tempted to join in
But instead
I point out to him
That this carriage
Is a dedicated quiet carriage
And so could he please take his orchestra
Elsewhere?'

Striking lines, these. Loved the poem and its (quiet?) innuendoes(if thats the word)

cheers!!

[http://shubhodeep.blogspot.com]

Anonymous Poet said...

This whole piece is more brilliant whimsy!

Especially: It’s almost jazz. That's a kicker.

Wastedpapiers said...

I thought as much.