Our old fence was weak, broken, holed
Ivy webs spread, crawled to hide it
Chipped flower pots sprawled below it
Ivy climbed up pipes beside it
Broken fence. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
Everything about it shouted
Old people living here are dead
No action moves inside their heads
Their bank accounts are in the red
One weak panel had fallen down
Blown by a storm, hit by hard knocks
Let in burglars, litter, stray dogs
A badger, cat, a mangy fox
We whatsapped, emailed, asked around
Who'll fix our fence and make it sound?
Make it. last, ten years? Even more
Look young and strong, like us before
A neighbour, called, named his high price
('Cheaper's short-lived, though still looks nice')..
His team carted off trunks, twined trees
Swept up weeds, twigs and fallen leaves
Our fence is prim, proper, brand new
Solid - like dry pens? Sticks of old glue?
Like us, proud sign of stern defence
Stiff, steady, ready, our grand new fence!
Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
There's more to do, there's more we lack -
I've problems with my aching back
An x-ray shows no broken bones -
We need to fix those paving stones
But for one ill, an antidote
Today's new sight's a ray of hope.
-ends-
Please share links to your favourite poems on posts in this blog.
