Friday, August 12, 2016

Robert Verdon, #236, Corridors [after reading SStVW's 'Remember the Halls']


the government-green corridor
at the back of the high school
where we went for metalwork
against my will
I meet often in dreams
I think it was behind the big stairs
with the huge painting of the Strathnaver
and a whole world of imperial liners behind it
labyrinth of scarlet sorrow
the dusty guilt of my ancestors
and settlers by the ton

later I worked in the old
Industry House
torn down for asbestos
its corridors were curved
like a spaceship
its elevator exposed to the skyline

later, I made up guitar songs
that went
night light
and bell
oh corridor girl …

corny and sad like the popular music
of the day
but much later
now
they stick with me.

2 comments:

  1. yes, schools were great places! Even tormenting when you want to forget them. I like the combination of that architecture with the corny songs. That's the pathos of being there.

    ReplyDelete
  2. there's a sort of bittersweet thing here, don't exactly want to forget, nor to remember!

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.