Monday, January 5, 2009

260. A Change for the Better.


                               Monet


WRITERS ISLAND JOURNALS inspired this poem.

A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER.

When I was young
The River Thames was old.
It was murky,
Like some malevolent soup,
Flowing past the ornate buildings
And the fresh green parks.


We were warned about 
The Thames.
We were advised
Not to fall in!
One gulp and we'd be dead!


As young lovers
We strolled along its banks.
It was opaque,
Secretive,
Malodorous.
Not that we minded.
We were in love.


When I was young
The London fog
Was legendary.
Thick, almost solid,
Pea-yellow
And sulphurous.


Policemen with torches
Loomed up out of the ghostly mist
To guide us home.
It hurt to breathe.


When it finally blew away
We were left with the yellow stain
On clothes and skin.
For weeks.
Not that we minded.
We were in love.


Now the young lovers walk 
Beside almost pristine waters
And the mists
Are relatively light and gentle.


Surely the story of London
Gives hope for the future.
A future in which
The Earth itself
Will have healed.
A future in which
'Pollution'
Will be an archaic word.


And the young lovers,
Who will know no better,
Wont even notice.
They will be in love.

7 comments:

cheshire wife said...

Thank you for visiting my blog.

I didn't realise that smog stained. Maybe things have changed for the better.

A Happy New Year to you.

Anonymous said...

I WISH I COULD PUT WORDS
TOGETHER WHICH ARE GOOD
YOU SEEM TO HAVE A KNACK
I SADLY SEEM TO LACK,
PERHAPS I'LL KEEP ON TRYING
FOR ONE NEVER EVER KNOWS
PERHAPS I'LL END UP JUST LIKE YOU
WITH LOVELY LOVELY
PROSE.
SYLVIA FROM PERTH

Anonymous said...

So, here's another picture for your personal Gallery collection!!I have never seen this one before and I have seen many. About cross pollination - I got Ugg boots for Christmas, ones made in Australia. I looked at ones made in China in Filenes in Union Square - and there are others with an eu label. Whatever, my daughter tells me they are very trendy! MM of NY

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful piece. I hope you don't mind but I simply had to take a print of it to keep!

I love nothing more than strolling along the banks of the Thames - working in London I'm able to do it regularly

I took some pictures of the river a few weeks ago. A click on my name should, in theory, transport you there.

Sylvia K said...

I love it -- love that the Thames is cleaned up for lovers and all, whether they notice or not. I can only hope we'll have something good like that to write aboutm to sing about here in the US now that the idiot is moving out and others who care are moving in.

Bear Naked said...

That Monet picture is a wonderful complement to your poem Brenda.
You also with your words are an artist.

Bear((( )))

Kat said...

Apart from Australia, I hope someday I see this London too (it doesn't cost to dream..!!!) -

you're so fond of London and in love with it too :)))