A WEEK IN BIRMINGHAM: A NEW POEM...

A Week In Birmingham…

Heavy vertical rain mars Monday,

The dog can’t get ‘neath the umbrella;

A policeman hovers, dripping on his beat,

His cape barely protecting the fella…

Slanting, breeze-blown rain curses Tuesday,

The dog shakes its brown coat, soaking;

A ne’er-do-well leans against a wet brick wall:

For him there’s not a bad time for smoking… 

The squall has worsened by midweek Wednesday,

The dog’s patience and resilience are bizarre;

The woman looks wistful towards her left,

Wondering why she’s not being driven by car…

A horizontal rainstorm plagues Thursday,

‘Thor’s Day’, with its lightning and thunder;

The dog’s escaped, the brolly’s whipped inside-out

And a hat flies in the gale but no wonder…

More thundery rain disappoints on Friday,

Damp bums rest on a wet wooden seat;

The dog seems to plead to be taken home,

Warm by the coal fire, a mongrel’s real treat…

The rain has eased off by the Saturday

But has it dampened the couple’s resolve?

The dog got its wish and lies warm back at home

But do the lovers have a ‘domestic’ to solve?

Finally Birmingham reaches Sunday

But the couple to their beds are confined;

The dog remains scarce, bowls of broth are being supped,

Ready for the next week’s wet Brummie grind…

Pete Ray

October 2017

Another postcard in Mary B Harding’s collection. 

This one was posted in 1914.

Being a Brummie, I can enjoy the humour…