We're taking a bit of a breather while the world rearranges its underpants. Meanwhile, the other blog is here.

Thursday, October 09, 2008

When I get any good at this I'll make up me own quotations

Today is National Poetry Day today and this year the theme is Work. You've not heard such language. Only to be expected when the key component of Work is "book."

To raise the tone a bit...

I'll tell you a story about our library
Full of potential like the nuts on a tree.
Racks of magazines
That you can browse
So long as you like textile industries,
Or you smith, gild or dowse.
"International Brocade,"
"Modern Madder" and
"Fluffed-up Flannel News."
And we don't buy "The Oldie."
I've got the periodical news.

Our serials lists are set as in glue,
Reflecting the needs back in 'seventy-two
Of two firms who used to subscribe
To the coffee mornings of the librarians' wives.
"Buttonholing Today,"
"Lady Milliner," and
"Three-Ply Rayon News."
But we don't buy "The Beano."
I've got the periodical blues.

The mags that we get
Have a certain cachet:
They're never read before
We throw them away.
Change our selection?
Don't make me laugh:
If it's popular
It'll only bring in
All the riff-raff.
Spend your service's worth
On these luxury
Subscription renewals.
No, you can't read the paper.
I've got the periodical blues.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kevin, you (or rather, your writing) makes me laugh.

Gadjo Dilo said...

Don't make me laugh:
...
All the riff-raff.


The mags that we get
Have a certain cachet:


Simply reading this doesn't do it justice; it's got to be read aloud in a Lancashire accent or else it doesn't rhyme!

Lavinia said...

National Poetry Day. That's better. Than national sight day, I mean. Here's one for you: I slept and dreamt that life was beauty; I woke and found that life was duty.

Kevin Musgrove said...

Christine: ta muchly!

gd: I missed that one. I was doing cachet/away. And don't think we're not going to be doing Lancashire dialect poetry at some time!

Lavinia: I think you're having a lapse of post-seadog depression. Chin up, girl!