Knutsford

Minibus taxis arrive with turquoise shirt-tie

combinations outside the Belle Epoque

where later passers-by outside will hear

carefully worded speeches on over-amplified

microphones with Champagne induced ad-libs

‘I can’t believe he just said that!

Did anyone video it on their phone?’

But you should see this town on a weekday night

we have these pavements to ourselves

I fell in love with those streets

but it’s easy to like somewhere

when you’re as happy as I was for those six weeks

just outside Manchester.

We all have a place in our lives like this

a town or city or street

even hearing it mentioned on a TalkSport traffic report

makes you long to be there

‘a lorry has caught fire just outside Knutsford …’ the lady says

and you think Knutsford, Knutsford, Knutsford

and you keep listening to the radio

so desperate for it to be mentioned again.