Throughout the summer, we would tightrope walk
along
the
length
of
concrete
fence
that
bordered
the reality of blocks of flats with smelly lifts,
washing like bunting on balconies
and the savoury scent of next-door’s dinner.
At any moment, our threadbare plimsolls might
slip
and
we
could
tip
to the other side,
where trees were
cathedrals, ships and giants,
and a small playing field
in a south London suburb
became a whole new world.
Kim M. Russell, 4th October 2018
My response to Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Balance also linked to dVerse Poets Pub Open Link Night
Susan says that, astrologically, we’re in Libra, reason enough to think of balance, and she has given us inspirational quotations and poems on this theme. I particularly like this one:
“Your deepest presence is in every small contracting and expanding, the two as beautifully balanced and coordinated as birds’ wings.” ― Jelaluddin Rumi
Our challenge is to explore the possibilities of balance in a new poem.
I picture this and appreciate the changed landscape.
Well penned 😊
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Thanks Viv! 🙂
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😊
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Luv the way your mind worked in balancibg your Summer images.
I liked that quote also
Thanks for dropping by my blog Kim
Much love…
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And to you, Gillena 🌞
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Love both poem and illustration. This is true of the gentlest childhoods but equally true of the borders–or how they must seem to refugees–between nations. Your images–“washing like bunting on balconies”–are unique and vivid.
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Thank you so much for reading closely and interpreting with so much thought.
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Wonderful imagery with a deeper meaning..wow!!
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Thank you, Amit!
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I really love how you put the concrete and smelly elevators in there with a child’s imagination of trees as cathedrals and ships… the form with the varying line length makes me think of a tightrope.
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Thank you, Bjorn!
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I live the image if bunting on a balcony combined with the smell of a supoer yet to come. You picked the perfect illustration with the black dog in the center balancing sadness with bravery.
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Thanks Toni!
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Wonderful remembrance, and like Bjorn I dig how you played with the form. I appreciated the juxtaposition
of the concrete reality, and the forest of a child’s imagination.
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Thanks Glenn. 🙂
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A wonderful soothing blend of landscapes and the creative structure of your poetic brilliance.
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Thank you, Charlie!
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You welcome, Kim. 🙂
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Ah, this “tightrope walk” is so delightful in its sensory appeal, with the aggrandization and lure of the other side. I love how you use those smells, as such a potent reminder of childhood and olden days — I too liked the structure, adding into the pleasure of reading.
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Thank you, Anmol.
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For me you bring back childhood, there were streets of derelict back to back houses waiting to be demolished and they were our playground. No health and safety rules in those days.
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I once got my foot stuck halfway up a drain pipe while playing Star Trek. I was beaming down from the roof above the entrance to our flats at the time. 😊
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chortle…..I am so sorry for finding this funny… one of our friends broke her leg because we were playing pick up sticks with the roundabout going too fast….XXX
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🙂 xxx
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a superb rendition of childhood in city flats and the concrete formation sets the scene so vividly
– love how you contrast the reality with the imagination
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Thank you so much, Laura.
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Lovely Kim! Your poem evoked childhood memories of mine growing up in London. Our adventures included climbing washing line poles and throwing tin cans down the street. Playing knock down ginger – I have no idea why it was called that! Knocking on people’s doors and running away. Fishing for tadpoles and bringing them home in jars 🙂
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I remember knock down ginger, British bulldog and run-outs! We used to ride around the flats on our bikes, jump from one row of shed roofs to another, visit the neighbours and generally have a wonderful time. Fishing for tadpoles, oh yes, and two balls up the wall – pure nostalgia!
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Yes, two balls up the wall, I’d forgotten that! Such innocent fun. Roller skating rink too. Got to go home when it was dark or else they came looking for us! 🙂
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🙂
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It sounds like that concrete fence might have been dangerous to walk.
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It was, and my mother told me time and again not to do it but I did it because it was exciting and I could!
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This feels like a call to learning how to balance between the good and bad.. the beautiful and ugly as we find our footing and make it successfully through life’s journey ❤
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Thanks Sanaa! 🙂
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How imaginative and I love the formatting, like a tightrope or line between the first and last line. This reminded me of my childhood games, imagining what the neighbors are doing and what they are eating. Happy weekend Kim.
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Thank you so much, Grace, and happy weekend to you, too!
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I am continually amazed at how much the landscape changes under the blade of bull dozers and pouring of cement and asphalt. As you said it is hard to keep the balance.
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We went back on the day of my mother’s funeral about a year and a half ago and they have built on that green space. The flats look different now and are mostly privately owned; when we were children, they were all council flats with low, affordable rent.
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Nothing stays the same. We keep searching for the memories!
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“trees as cathedrals”…Such a liberating image. Beautiful…..
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Thank you, Sumana!
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The scent of poverty and aspiration.in this one. Nice work.
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Thanks Rall!
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The risky behavior and imagination of childhood…a precarious balance, which I think your poem executed with grace.
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Thank you, Lynn.
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So poignant, Kim. childhood always is and it forms so much of our approach to poetry. Lovely.
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Thank you, Jane.
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kaykuala
and a small playing field
in a south London suburb
became a whole new world.
A transformation very unusual but typical of a change of landscape with the changing season.
Hank
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Imaginative and lovely.
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Thank you so much, Ayala.
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I am afraid of heights also seeing kids balancing on tiny ledges. I somehow was transported to The Golden Compass by your lovely poetry.
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I love that book and when I first read it those children seemed very familiar!
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the between…always an interesting place to be! (K)
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Definitely!
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Balance. A word that I continue to love exploring. Your title drew me in and I liked the format of going down the page in a line, like a tightrope between two worlds.
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Thank you, Ali!
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A true tightrope of a write! Wonderfully done!
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Cheers Frank!
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😇
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