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SUMMER IN THE CITY 2011

karl_wiggins likes this ♦
Published by Linda Wigzell Cress on January 28, 2012 - 13:51
from the ABC set CROYDON LIFE

The young Polish woman recently arrived
Is silhouetted in mid air against a golden halo of yellow flame
As she leaps from a burning building into the nations’ consciousness
Becoming a symbol of that Summer in the city;
She came here for work, to better herself
Now she has nothing. All gone in the flames of a burning town.
Croydon’s burning.
Croydon’s weeping.
Mourning for a lost landmark,
As our powerless police stand and watch the looting and stealing
And bombing and burning, heads hung in shame;
And maybe pity;
We now stand watching as the skeleton of Reeves Corner
Pushes ghostly through the smoke of the ruins of an ancient shop
Nigh one hundred and fifty years a family business –
May it rise again.
Now still a stop
on the Tramlink of which Croydon is so proud;
This same Tramlink which brings unwanted guests to the end of the line;
To a large estate, often abandoned by the law
(Too many too poor;)
They have burned our one real shop – our Co-op is ablaze!
Not one cop in sight – so next night the public arms itself
Out they come, men and women, old and young, two hundred strong,
Stand shoulder to shoulder all night in the Market Square:
A people’s army say : ‘This place is MINE!
You shall not come again!
Woe betide all those who come with further bad intent!’
No rows, no violence, just neighbours standing proud and free
To show all-comers this is a Community
‘You shall not wreck it!’
Too late the police armed cars arrive now 40 strong
Too late mate.
The thugs have gone. And so too the convoy went.
Two images of Summer 20 11 remain
The helpless police force standing by
And a scared young girl compelled to learn to fly.

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Comments

Silver Spun Sand | January 28, 2012 - 19:20

Written, obviously, from the heart, Linda. An impassioned write...the last line made me shiver.

Tina

Denzella | February 2, 2012 - 23:30

Hello Linda Wigzell Cress,

Read this and very much enjoyed your way of telling the story of that dreadful time when that ancient shop was burnt to the ground and a family business ruined by mindless thugs.

Luly Whisper | March 1, 2012 - 21:42

I used to work in Croydon in the late 1970s and I found it an interesting place, compared to Wandsworth, where I lived then. I am sad to see what it seems to have become.

sue dinum | July 20, 2012 - 20:52

Hello Linda, darling. Oh, what a smarmy old git I am sometimes.

I know this is belated, Linda, but I wanted to read some of your earlier stuff that I have missed because I only discovered you of late. I thought this was a compelling account of the Croydon riots and it must have been heartbreaking to see your home town torn apart by mindless angst. I suppose I picked on this one because of the name of the collection: CROYDON LIFE. I once only lived down the road (so-to-speak) from you – Redhill and Reigate.

I used to come to Croydon to buy guitars – Rockbottom. I saw Deep Purple twice at The Greyhound, and have been loads of times to Fairfield Halls – saw Dame Peggy Ashcroft there – Ashcroft theatre. Do you remember The Catherine Wheel, The Tarantella? Did you ever go to The Orchid at Purley? If you did we might have even danced together. Was the estate you mentioned in New Addington? So many questions, I could chat with you for ages.

Anyway, Linda, I thought your piece was really moving and deserved loads more comments. Some people just don’t know what they’re missing. I’m only sorry I didn’t catch this at the time. Very well written, great title, and great record from the summer of ’66... Summer in the City, The Loving Spoonful. Cue music...

Derr, der... Derr, der... (that was a bit of intro) “Hot town, summer in the city, back of my neck getting dirty and gritty...”

Trev

Linda Wigzell Cress | July 20, 2012 - 23:53

Hi Trev thanks for liking this poem. This was a scary time, we are hoping it dosent happen again this year when all our police are off minding the shop at the Olympics. I was a Lewisham girl, but did venture once or twice to the Catherine Wheel, and Cinderella Rockefellers in Purley. Often go to Fairfield and saw David Essex at Ashcroft this year. Rockbottom was badly damaged, the rehearsal rooms out back destroyed, and the shop looted. I think it has now re-opened, I'll look when I'm down that way. My husband used to get his guitar bits there. Several buildings in that area were wrecked. And yes, New Addington is that estate, still very marginalised but much improving now. Anyway thanks for your nice comments about the poem, I am glad it brought back some good memories. And smarmy - you - surely not!
Linda

mark_say | August 7, 2012 - 17:27

Very good Linda. I think you convey that mixture of anger and sadness with great skill.

Linda Wigzell Cress | August 7, 2012 - 18:29

Thanks for the cherries eds. I appreciate it - but were cherries meant for this one (posted in 2011) or for todays post (2012) which is much more important as it is a current matter of a child's life? If so mea culpa as I re-named the original poem wrongly and have now amended it and thanks anyway, either way I appreciate it a lot.
Linda

mark_say | August 8, 2012 - 09:24

Hi Linda,

The cherry was meant for the poem above.

Linda Wigzell Cress | August 8, 2012 - 09:31

In that case thank you. I was just surprised as this was posted last year and I had posted a follow-up poem (Sitc 2012)yesterday. Thanks for reading.
Linda

mark_say | August 8, 2012 - 09:42

A bit odd; this was the one in the Unread Stories box. But still worth the cherry.

Linda Wigzell Cress | August 8, 2012 - 09:54

Probably my fault as I said above. But as long as the 2012 one got read. Cherries are less important than drawing attention to the girl still missing from my patch. Thanks Mark - off to read some more of yours just discovered yesterday and enjoying.
Linda

karl_wiggins | November 16, 2012 - 23:56

Linda, an excellent piece. This really should be on a park bench or a Croydon wall plaque before everyone forgets.

Linda Wigzell Cress | November 17, 2012 - 00:07

Thank you kindly Karl. I must suggest it to the Conservative) council! I imagine a plque would only get nicked anyway!
It was a truly horrible time.
Linda

karl_wiggins | November 17, 2012 - 01:45

It must have been. Friends from America were asking how close it all was to us.

Linda Wigzell Cress | November 17, 2012 - 11:15

The day it started, I was in Lewisham with my Dad and it all kicked off there. I was on the 208 going home (a 1 or 2 hour journey)and getting all these are u ok messages from my kids. Found out why when got home to find Croydon in riot! Then later all these hoodies arrived on my estate and burned our co-op down. What a day!Linda