Bombinations
By Philip Sidney
- 16967 reads
I saw the queen once
she was in a big green jeep
whizzing around a field
I was with a crowd of kids
we cheered as she went past
but she didn’t look at me
we had her picture on the classroom wall
between the clock and the crucifix
I knew that picture pretty well
I looked at it when I was pretending
to think of an answer
but I was making up a story
like me running off with Robot and Billy
getting lost in space and shaking off the family
she didn’t smile in the picture
and was just a blur when she drove past
she seemed less real than the saints
I kind of knew she didn’t care about me
but I was supposed to belong to her
because I was part of the commonwealth
which was all hers
or something like that
it was ok not to like her
not like God
who you had to love
even though he was watching you all the time
like that weird kid next door
who looked through my bedroom window
and gave me the collywobbles
I was more scared of him
than not doing my homework
that just made me feel sick
I guess I could have done it
but I was daring God to do it for me
he never did
I heard him laughing with my friends
when I got the strap
I just stared at the spit on Sister Ignatius' lip
and listened to the buzzing
thought that if I didn’t die
one day I’d be old and free and only do what I wanted
she’s still there
the queen
I’m still waiting.
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Comments
Clever, wry and beautifully
Clever, wry and beautifully written, it's good to read you again PS.
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Powerful, PS. An authentic
Powerful, PS. An authentic naivety to the child's voice and well conveyed nostalgia a.
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loved this - and I agree with
loved this - and I agree with Vera, the voice is spot on
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What makes this so amazing to
What makes this so amazing to me is that from the child's eye perspective, there seems to be more wisdom without even thinking than any of the adults. But the poem is more special for the natural, but cleverly added side details like, 'she didn’t look at me' 'between the clock and the crucifix' 'when I was pretending to think of an answer' 'was more scared of him than not doing my Homework' 'I heard him laughing with my friends when I got the strap' 'I just stared at the spit on Sister Ignatius' lip'. As you can tell, I loved this piece.
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Reminds me so much of my
Reminds me so much of my Catholic primary school education. Sister Vincent was the scary one with her starched winged head dress.
You got the voice perfectly.
Lindy
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A very strong piece, Helen,
A very strong piece, Helen, with a powerful narration. I liked it a lot. I also learnt a new word: 'bombinations'.
Thanks.
Luigi x
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Pick of the Day
I love this - it has all of the old spite still in there along with the wisdom of age. Great stuff and our Pick of the Day.
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Great writing
I also loved the child-like naiivity and wisdom. I think you summed it up for all of us who were coralled out of school to stand in the street waving paper UJs and to watch a big black Roll-Royce cruise past and all we saw was a waving glove between bobbing heads.
I also like the tilt at the cruelty of Nuns in Catholic schools. Being a lucky Cof E I listened in amazement at stories by ex-pupils from Catholic schools in England, Belgium and Spain. Although they didn't know each other they seemed to be united in one thing --- The Nuns were cruel vindictive bitches.
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So glad I got to read this,
So glad I got to read this, PS. It reminded me a bit of me when the nuns had taken us out of the class to see President Johnson and Robert Kennedy in 1964. Wish I was clever enough to have written it. Really loved the voice here.
Rich
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Very deftly written, Philip.
Very deftly written, Philip. I narrowly avoided the delights of St Wilfred's and St George's Catholic schools in York (a stand-up row between my dad and Father Treacy, which I still remember. The priest had come to claim his prize for marrying my mam and dad. Nasty.) I had to make do with secular sadists. The restraint in this piece is great, as is the viewpoint of the child looking back, the asides that give it so much truth, and the heavy sigh of the adult narrator that ties the whole thing together. Perfect. A great piece of writing Philip. Loved it.
Parson Thru
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Really liked the quickness of
Really liked the quickness of this, right down to the lash of that buzzing thought. It feels like a kid taking a deep breath and saying it all in one go. The Queen passed me once too when I was a child and apparantly she smiled at us but I was shy and looked the other way. I expect she remembers though.
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Or not! I was just looking at
Or not! I was just looking at poems again and it seems I am not getting the emails to say there is a comment. Has anyone else had this? I've not changed my settings. I've not put a poem on for ages so I've probably not ignored anyone but it's a bit wierd. Cheers!
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This is our Poem of the Week
This is our Poem of the Week - congratulations!
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Gobstopping time capsule of
Gobstopping time capsule of reminscent poetry crammed with all the creepiness of childhood woe and worldly wickedness.
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This is our Poem of the Month
This is our Poem of the Month - Congratulations!
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