Oh, how we hated the fairground boys,
from Dan on the Dodgems
to Tom handing out the Gallery's Toys
They'd arrive in june for two miserable weeks
with their swarthy skin
and precious metals in their teeth.
And their uniform was different from ours
- leather jackets and jeans
with proud oil-stains from uninsured cars.
We'd stand on the sidelines in blazers and caps
watching girls promising
furtive hands in strangers laps.
A heart was broken every day
as Dan from the Dodgems
won bets Tom had to pay.
But still we watched them, open mouthed:
the one on the waltzers
profane priest playing the crowd.
Oh how we hated the fairground yobs:
but – oh to be King of the Waltzers-
not in grammar-schooled jobs.
Comments
capoeiragem | July 15, 2008 - 15:08
Really enjoyed this, the subtle rhythm of the piece does well to evoke the repetitive motion of a fairground ride without ever becoming too forced. You strike a delicate balance between quick, almost childish rhymes such as 'Dan from the Dodgems...won bets Tom had to pay' (which, by the way, I thought was a great change of pace) and the longer, more ponderous half-rhyming lines of the first two stanzas.
Great subject material as well, although to be fair I'm not quite sure I'm ready to jack it all in for a life of hot dogs and candy floss just yet...
photon | July 15, 2008 - 18:39
I was once 'King of the Waltzers' so I just had to comment! Yes, I spun the girls and made their skirts ride up - and ... they didn't try that hard to avoid the effect! Loved the poem as well, brought back memories.
Dynamaso | July 16, 2008 - 07:37
I enjoyed this very much.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a Carny, as we Aussies call them, just so I could get to ride the dodgems for free.
I wasn't sure what 'King of the Waltzers' was referring to but I get the gist of the job now.
Doeslittle | July 16, 2008 - 07:54
Excellent! Perfectly conjured up the scene of grammar school boys at the fair watching the tanned, shirtless, waltzer kings swinging only the prettiest girls in the waltzers. I went to Goose Fair last year and thought it was hilarious that even though it was cold in October that they were still shirtless and flexing their muscles for the girls.
Caldwell | July 16, 2008 - 14:14
It's very evocative for me too. Reminds me of the Fairground at the Epsom Races. I was never that envious though, I always imagined when everyone left at the end of the night - their caravans surrounded with horrible debris of cans, half-eaten hot dogs and vomit.