Are we there yet?

Gold cherry

By littleditty

Sun, 19 Apr 2020
  • 2938 reads
16 comments
 

“Are we there yet?”

Like on a road trip down south;

Not much scope for “I spy with my little eye…”

70 plus, on the open road,

Fields full of yellow flowers,

Sweating in the back seat, inhaling smoke.

 

Nowadays, nobody starts with,

“Something beginning with Y?”

 

“Are we there yet?”

From the radio. It’s not the 1970’s, rubbish stacked high,

Dad’s got a stash of petrol in the garage

Next to the sardines. No.

 

There are no sardines,

Lined up like soldiers

In makeshift shelters,

In lean-to larders.

 

There is no petrol; no Gerry can,

No Swiss army knife that can do everything.

 

 “Are we there yet?”

Father tutting fly tipping

masonry mercenaries on the back road. No.

 

“We’re nearly there.” When

Are we there yet?

Is just around the corner.

It’s just over the next hill.

 

It will all be over by Christmas

With a red flowering sunrise,

Mushrooming.

 

 

 

Certificate U
Poem
whimsy
Unclassified

Comments

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

This reminded me of when I was young driving down to Cornwall with my parents which was a five hour drive, but to me at the time felt like forever.

Enjoyable poem.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Nicely done. When will we be there, I wonder. I like how you have highlighted that this is not another adventure, no Swiss Army knife, no Gerry can. I liked the reminiscence of it. Enjoyed reading it. A clever poem. Rachel :)

 

Submitted by Penny4athought on

I loved the alternate realities - the comforting past to the uncertain future and "mushrooming" is a foreboding ending but sadly, could be truly prophetic...but I hope not.

Penny4athought

Submitted by littleditty on

hope not too! Thanks for reading, Penny4, Rachel, Jenny.

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

You haven't lost your touch Nicky. A clever poem, skilfully crafted,  combining past memories of playful journeys with the harsh reality of today and an uncertain, perhaps apocalyptic, future.

Luigi x

P.S. Do you remember the magazine La fenêtre? Sadly defunct.

 

Submitted by littleditty on

La fenetre? Are the pages still there? Gosh that seems long ago! All is well. How are you doing Luigi? Thanks for your lovely comment.

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

The past certainly feels like another country at the moment, and this wonderful poem compares and contrasts then and now to disturbing effect.  It's our Facebook and Twitter Pick of the Day!

Picture:  Pixabay Creative Commons

Submitted by littleditty on

Thanks for the pick too - must look at the fb and twitter pages...havent been fb etc for a long long time...cheers.

 

Submitted by Miss Polly on

This made me smile and brought back fond memories of travelling South to North with my 3 girls in the back seat,,, asking the same question . My answer would always be, " we are nearly there" knowing full well there was yet another few motorways to get through and praying they would all fall asleep for the remainder of the journey . 

Submitted by littleditty on

It reminds me too! Thanks for commenting....

 

Submitted by littleditty on

It reminds me too! Thanks for commenting....

 

Submitted by Parson Thru on

Yes you are!

Brilliant to see you posting again.

Lovely metaphor. Works in both ways. It summons a few memories, too. Nicely writ.

Let's see more and more.

Congratulations on the pick. Great choice.

Parson Thru

Submitted by Tom Brown on

I remember this well from the time every second car you saw on the road was a VW Beetle. We also played those games I remember well. These days everyone probably is on his device all the time. No fun to that. No great excitement who will be first: The Sea!!

 

Submitted by littleditty on

you might be my Dad?!  Always a game on as to who would see the sea - I got in an extra decade of VW Beetles -Brazil - whole hilly village streets nearly all VW's - thanks for commenting, especially if you are not my Dad! Lol Cheers!

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

Do you live in Brazil? I've always wanted to go there for the Amazon and all the jungle and even also the Andes? Must be like an other planet. Saw on the movies.

Relax I can't be your dad long lost and all. What is it that makes you think so?

Good luck have a good evening remember to always was your hands! Tom

 

Submitted by littleditty on

I was kidding -he's a writer by the sea and on here sometimes - you made me smile with the who will see the sea first - surely hope people still play that now,...Brazil and Andes are best on tV right now - maybe one day :)