Hi Sally,
I liked this. There's a lot to enjoy but I especially liked "the mystery
novel laughed with her reading glasses on the front page". What an unusual
but immediately recognisable image!
I think I would maybe lose "Nanny is not here anymore", which seems to me to
spell out something that is fairly obvious from the tone of the rest of the
poem, and then just finish with
"the Archers can still bend my bow
send the arrows flying to her memory
as straight as her grip on my childhood."
Like Grasshopper, I'd prefer to see regular punctuation, partly because I
think the reader needs it, especially towards the middle of the poem, and
partly because you do use capital letters for the proper nouns and a full
stop at the end. I suppose what I'm saying is that I'd prefer all or
nothing. Obviously though that's personal preference, and I'll be interested
to hear what other people say in reply to Grasshopper's question.
But back to the poem - very enjoyable, and it really conjures up a warm
nostalgia without feeling sentimental.
Regards,
Matt
-----Original Message-----
From: The Pennine Poetry Works [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Sally James
Sent: 23 May 2004 10:53
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: new sub Nanny and the Archers
THIS EMAIL HAS BEEN SWEPT FOR VIRUSES BY THE NORTHCLIFFE GROUP MAILSWEEPER
SERVER.
Nanny and the Archers
Long before Coronation Street
nanny listened to the Archers
Everything seemed to stop
at the same time every evening
the clocked ticked slower
and the sun set his fixed stare
through the front window
Nanny's knitting cuddled her knee
and the mystery novel laughed
with her reading glasses on the front page
I sat cross-legged on the peg rug
noted my Sunday best in the middle pattern
listened to every word the box murmured
Nanny's wrinkles made patterns on her face
and once I saw a tear stick in a narrow groove
her brown eyes dance in the coal's light
and the bones of her fingers
shake the china saucer
I would sit in the half lotus position
till the last la di da di da da faded
and the click of the knob signalled
my silence could end
Nanny is not here anymore
but the Archers can still bend my bow
send the arrows flying to her memory
as straight as her grip on my childhood.
sally james
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