Gower

Dick of Wales, swing low
and poorly advertised;
oh Sweet Naïve Tourist Board,
continue your flabby, short-sighted
development plan;
let poor facilities send them reeling
back to Cornwall ' next year '
for the beachside gastrocaf
and no more signposts in
the ridiculous language.

Publicans of Gower ' offer us no reason
to leave our homes. Striplights
are fine for the dining room.
Everyone loves Double Dragon.
Chips or jacket for every meal
until we can hardly think for vegetable oil.

And when the tide cuts me off
on the Worm's Head
and the coast guard is away
for whatever reason
and there's no-one around to help
' no locals, no visitors '
I will want for nothing
but the seals
and the green unknowable sea
and the way a scream
is nothing in this landscape
equivalent of a Spanish soap opera:
poorly played, with no-list actors,
who are beautiful
beneath ' in spite of ' their bad make-up.