If someone could direct me to a street where I could stand
Cobbles beneath my feet tearful with rain;
The shadows of my hopes behind the stained- glass windows of a pub, ghosts –
I would turn up the collar of my coat, walk, number each small, terraced house by heart:
Birthplace; neighbours – hardman, hussy, haridan, hustler, hero, heroine –
Threshold, bride and groom as clueless of next year as Christmas Eve;
Or exit-place, a hearse, a raw and local grief...
Then I'd retrace my steps, perhaps a baby's cry sharp as a sudden star nailed to the sky,
To stand now in this backstreet bar, nursing a beer
All my griefs, my gifts, and glad I live here.
Cobbles beneath my feet tearful with rain;
The shadows of my hopes behind the stained- glass windows of a pub, ghosts –
I would turn up the collar of my coat, walk, number each small, terraced house by heart:
Birthplace; neighbours – hardman, hussy, haridan, hustler, hero, heroine –
Threshold, bride and groom as clueless of next year as Christmas Eve;
Or exit-place, a hearse, a raw and local grief...
Then I'd retrace my steps, perhaps a baby's cry sharp as a sudden star nailed to the sky,
To stand now in this backstreet bar, nursing a beer
All my griefs, my gifts, and glad I live here.
Written by Carol Ann Duffy.
This was the poem read out by Ken in tonights episode, it was written especially for the episode by Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy.
This was the poem read out by Ken in tonights episode, it was written especially for the episode by Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy.
9 comments:
I love it :) Happy Christmas everyone
Fabulous - well done Corrie for using a Carol Ann Duffy poem.
Beautiful poem :)
A beautiful moment, when Ken read it.
Nice to know the author - I was wondering who it was. And Ken read it beautifully. Imagine, a poem written especially for The Street by a poet laureate!
Sorry, I didn't like it. I thought it was very poor. It did nothing for me.
Thanks for posting it, and the author's name. I thought the poem was great and very appropriate for the memorial service.
Thanks for posting this poem. Superb and very moving. I'll have it read at my funeral.
She is one of our greatest Poet Laureates.
sophie and sians faviroute poet
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