Hi Sally,
I found most of this on the level of reportage and felt the poem did not 
begin to be effective until the last four lines. Perhaps rather than a 
purely narrative approach those last, very good lines, could be the start of 
something good, as the song says. Hope this is helpful.



bw
James





>From: Sally James <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: new sub Nanny and the Archers
>Date: Sun, 23 May 2004 10:53:16 +0100
>
>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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