From West To North And Then Some...
By skinner_jennifer
- 1264 reads
She! Who was a teenager back in 72
recalls filthy specks of dust soiling her skin
discharged from Smelting Works grime so grim,
carbon hanging over head cloud was bad
disillusioned with environment
girl became sad,
life she'd known up until eighteen
was defined by acceptance
her existence
never questioning,
or considering
the bigger picture.
Waiting silently
wouldn't change a thing,
but how could she trust
what's felt but not seen?
It had never been significant
there had been no dream,
but now,
realization that
something's not right
as memories cling
like molasses
so tight,
try to drop lightly on an unforgotten life
float down gently from what cuts like a knife,
search darkest corners
of an attic brain
not really knowing how to burn harsh realities
to become sane,
it was always hard bitten with nose to the grind
but life was empty stuck in factory confined,
those timely distressing recollections
that haunt her memory,
to pack it all in
would be the best remedy,
softly – softly tracing steps back
faint lines becoming blurred with time
breaking free isn't easy or straightforward never kind,
it takes courage to find her own fate
waiting and waiting, then...
one day she finds her soul mate,
now a boy and a girl are together finding their way
thumbing it with no job or money
just a need to escape polluted skies grey,
hooked on adventure notions of unlimited dreams
they drained normality from their lives
created their own schemes,
discovered wisdom in haste;
realized those chains
now broken
were like free flowing water
leading to a bracing ocean
they chased.
Hitched from Avonmouth
to North Wales
with an endless thirst,
a cuppa seemed miles off
longing for hiss of mum's kettle
with lips pursed.
Waiting ages it was getting colder
with hippy bags slung across shoulder,
only lift was to Severn bridge
which they accepted with thanks
now passengers riding
under bright street lamps,
thought they'd catch traffic coming from Newport...
well we all know what happened to thought!
Life's never straightforward as they go along
with unflappable courage they waited five hours long,
but lift never came...
well they only had themselves to blame,
so pushing on across bridge
feeling like salmon
swimming up streams
with darkness approaching,
only comfort were car light
moon beams,
lingered one hour for lift to M50 at Ross On Wye
to take them back to M5 at Tewkesbury
this girl and guy,
but still no vehicle stopped for them
they felt marooned
these two loved ones,
so trekked through Newport onto bypass
then up to Ross On Wye,
finally getting a lift but going the wrong way
sadly ending up in Abergavenny
of all places
fifteen miles off bypass.
Managed to catch a lift
back to Ross On Wye,
had names taken for
being out at 2am
walking so late
under dark sky.
Ten minutes later got a ride to Birmingham
by now it was 4am
not quite a view of rising sun,
but morning would soon come
as they soldiered on tired with aching feet
not a word did they speak.
At around 8.30am
a coach stopped
driver said he'd give them a lift,
two hitchers were speechless
never expecting
a coach to stop,
Well! You've heard of five star hotels
this was a five star coach
with air conditioning,
carpets all round...
seats like armchairs
and smiles abound.
Driver gave them a lift
from Birmingham,
stopping off at services
bought them
a coffee each
before carrying on,
then dropped them off at Knutsford,
two teenagers that day
felt the world would be a better place
if there were more people that way
like the driver of
that luxury coach that day.
From Knutsford
two tired souls
walked about fifteen miles
a trip with no smiles
they wouldn't want
to repeat,
she with blisters did
nothing but complain –
but with all due respect
she was well within her rights
with no energy
to sustain,
two miles to go
and so they pushed on
hearing roar of traffic ringing in her ears
a body that was aching...
crying tears,
well some.
Twenty hours later
since they left Avonmouth
walked in front door and
dropped onto the couch,
his mum made them coffee and sandwiches
which they wolfed down in a hurry,
now nourished
they slipped into warm beds
where they swore they'd
hitchhike no more
and slept until Monday
this was a lesson for sure.
This is a rewrite of a piece I wrote last week,
I'm a lot happier with the layout.
I didn't want to get rid of the other layout
because I appreciate peoples comments
and didn't want to loose what they were
good enough to stop by and write.
Hoping this is okay with the editors.
Image by pixabay free images.
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Comments
nah, keep both. that's the
nah, keep both. that's the way of the world. as you showed once again here.I like this one better. We all have our preferences
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You do create that feeling
You do create that feeling that can so easily come at the end of teenage years of longing to do something adventurous, different, put the world to rights, and travel freely, but how easy to launch out on impulses and schemes that go rather wrong, and the joy of coming home again! Rhiannon
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Dear Jenny, I enjoyed reading
Dear Jenny, I enjoyed reading this imaginative story of two gallivanting hitchhikers but must confess that I am always befuddled by fancy layouts and much favour a simple one. As jack said it is a question of preference.
Best, Luigi xx
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