Tuesday 28 February 2012

The Reply: A Letter From Winter to London...


Dear London
Well, I’ve just read your letter and am at a loss as to what to say. I am sorry you feel so strongly. I want you to know you’ve hurt me this time London, really, I don’t understand what I did wrong? I only wanted to blanket you in soft white snow. You said you liked it and that was why you never grit or salt your roads sufficiently.

I understand your needing more from me, I have done all I could. I'm not snow blind, I have noticed that you don’t sigh at a solitary robin, like you used to. I know that you have grown tired of mornings without birdsong. I saw there were buds and I snowed on them the other week. I wasn’t being horrible, I guess I got jealous and I just wanted you to like me again, I wanted you to want me again.

Your letter is strange. As far as I recall, when we met, you said Autumn was an in-betweener, not the real thing, and not as hot as Summer. You said you were still hurting over losing Summer and you said Autumn was your rebound and that we, you and me, we were the real deal. You complained that Autumn was dry and the magic was fading daily. You asked me to help you, to drain and rot away his mulch of leaves and debris, to make the place a little smart and frosty for Christmas, remember? You said your Cathedrals and Palaces were all the better for a little white magic, a little twinkle of icy starlight, a little snow moon love.

As for Moscow – well, right from the beginning I was honest with you - and now you throw it in my face! You know I will always be close with Moscow, she and I go way back. You are being a little petty now and I'm not surprised you bring up Helsinki. And since we are talking about ex’s perhaps you should have a word with Sydney, I hear Sydneys Opera House is a blaze of Summers light right now and so think on that, London, with your Olympics coming so soon too!

Now go London, go to your Spring, Jack the lad, you are a fool London. 
Spring is Pisces! He’ll be a slippery one, sunny one day, rainy the next. You cannot depend on him ever London. Sheepish lamb chop of a lad with the job half done, never truly substantial, he'll never satisfy you.

He’ll be in like a lamb, out like a lion, leaving you flooded. London don’t get me started on those April showers of his, I just hope you use protection. I also hope you can stand the stench of eggs and new-borns, I hope you can stand the mess of brown petals, the sticky hangover of bright new mornings, the yellow and pink clashing everywhere, fair weather flowers that barely last. I warn you, Spring will lie you down in a wash of bluebells and snowdrops and sing to you of daffodilly this and dilly dally that and change you London, Spring is a crocus chancer, no staying power.

But I will always be your friend. I love you London. Indeed we had some great times, and once this has all settled down a little, lets talk, I really do believe we will be friends, very close friends again, one day.

Yours Sincerely
Winter.



© Salena Godden. 2012
Written and performed at the anti-valentines ‘Jilted John’ event at The Betsey Trotwood.






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Monday 13 February 2012

Poem: WHEN I HEARD THE MAN (for Gil Scott Heron & Martin Luther King)





When I Heard The Man
For Gil Scott Heron & Martin Luther King

When I heard the man

I fell into sky blue

of lyrics that were true

with courage and faith

and that wicked wolf

lit the pathway of doubt

the world went too fast

but one day won’t last

long enough to recall

its about how you get up

and not how you fall

its how we get up

and not how we fall.



When I heard the man

I fell into sky blue

too true, my mind wandered back

across fields of then-then

rivers of thereafter

now where do you go?

and what can you do?

believe in yourself, but

you sometimes forget

hold on, woah, its not your turn yet

and what made you so sure

you’d get a turn fair and square?

stick with the love

hates too great a burden to bear

stick with the love

hates too great, a burden to bear

know where are you going

stop standing there

your running and running

but you 'aint going nowhere

its like wetting the whistle

but making no tune

its Winter In America

and Whiteys On The Moon.



And I once met the man

and I shook Gil's hand

fell into sky blue

his smile was true

and that wicked wolf

knew the way through them woods

through the bracken and twists

the dark and The Bottle

Storm Music flowed from his wrists

whilst the wind blew the hands

of the clocks round too fast

a whole day won’t last

so don’t cling onto your beer

we have nothing to fear

but a fear of the fear

nothing to fear

but fear itself, dear



When I heard the man

I fell into a truth

a lie cannot live

not a lie in a word

a riot is the language

of the unheard

a riot 

is the language 

of the unheard

stealing Nike trainers

and more angers stirred

faith is taking the first step

when you don’t see the whole staircase

got some justice for Lawrence

and next Smileys case?



I heard Pieces Of A Man

I fell into the blue

and that wicked wolf

left the door ajar

moonlight seeped through

onto a world spinning too fast

but a whole day don’t last

long enough to pick up old taxes

big trees and small axes

the forest washes bright

fall into the blue

and we fall into the light.



In the end we remember

not the words of our enemies

but the silence of friends

occupy your space

do your being, be your action

live love. love life. alive to the end.

Lady Day And John Coltrane

bloody London pours with bloody London rain

'aint nothing but a B Movie and the weathers awry

I’m gonna take me a piece of sunshine and paint it all over my sky.




© Salena Godden. 2012

Written and performed for Book Slam, The Clapham Grand, January 19th 2012


DJ Gilles Peterson

Kate Tempest

Clapham Grand

Salena Godden

Ray Shell

Amnesia Express: Lisa Lore, Kate Tempest, Salena Godden
Round of Applause! Group shot & line-up including poets Ben Mellor, Kate Tempest, Greg B, DJ Gilles Peterson, publisher Jamie Byng, Salena Godden, Gil Scott Heron Bandmates: Kim Jordan, Shebka, Harrmonika & friends  

Round of Applause! Group shot & line-up including poets Ben Mellor, Kate Tempest, Greg B, DJ Gilles Peterson, publisher Jamie Byng, Salena Godden, Gil Scott Heron Bandmates: Kim Jordan, Shebka, Harrmonika & friends   






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