Friday 27 July 2012

London


London by A.S.J. Tessimond (1902-1962)

I am the city of two-divided cities
Where the eyes of rich and poor collide and wonder;
Where the beggar's voice is low and unexpectant,
And in the clubs the feet of servants are soft on the carpet
And the world's wind scarcely stirs the leaves of The Times.

I am the reticent, the private city,
The city of lovers hiding wrapped in shadows,
The city of people sitting and talking quietly
Beyond shut doors and walls as thick as a century,
People who laugh too little and too loudly,
Whose tears fall inward, flowing back to the heart.

I am the city whose fog will fall like a finger gently
Erasing the anger of angles, the strident indecorous gesture,
Whose dusk will come like tact, like a change in conversation,
Violet and indigo, with strings of lemon streetlamps
Casting their pools into the pools of rain
As the notes of the piano are cast from the top-floor window
Into the square that is always Sunday afternoon.

6 comments:

  1. A great poem on this day of days for London. So excited and proud.

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    1. Lilac - I know it is so exciting. I am loving living in London whilst it's on.

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  2. I love that poem! Thanks so much for sharing it. It must be so exciting to be in London right now. Enjoy!

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    Replies
    1. Sunday - We are most definitely enjoying it. Hope you are too.

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  3. What a lovely poem, which I did not know- now book marked! I've loved the Olympics, I wish I could have gone but fate and the website conspired against me, but I've loved it

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    Replies
    1. Rose - Isn't it amazing. I'm loving living in London whilst it's been happening.

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Ooh how lovely more stripes on the page...
Thank you for taking the time.