The Swoon of the Nightingale
Hope Street calm bars have let out cabs idle on Hardman Street neon
buzzing like a summer fly need to follow the path well worn 3.00 a.m
route marches down the Dock Road desperate for her attic room
double bed lilac calming the bleating of ship’s horns in the bay
morning rises with a milk float echoing through terraced streets newspapers dropped on Hall’s steps the 61 on up the lane
breakfast a view over to North Park bus stop centre of activity
freshly painted graffiti under the billboards ‘Yozza loves Paula’
Haze rising south over the docks traffic increasing city bound
radios tuned into weather reports ‘Another glorious day temperatures
ranging from 23 degrees up to a maximum of 26 degrees dry clear skies
with slight sea breezes in coastal areas patchy cloud developing this
Afternoon’ cancelled train opportunity to wander the platform dappled
in shade left to right and under the bridge watching the Wigan train
shed its passengers it shudders to a halt recalling years of using this
station as a way out
Boarded up warehouses in Mathew Street Cavern filled in opportunities
not seen Eric’s closed under tatty sculpture only mention of THOSE
four now a mecca for Macca acolytes who want to walk the same cobbles
as he did drink where John drank and buy Blue Meanies from
Cavern Walks ‘The Place Where It All Began…/ filled in for our illustrious redevelopment’ replica replacement we’ll build roll up
roll up for The Mythical Hysteria Tour Expresso Exchange John had to move he was blocking the door he took with him his oversized mop
head now he props up another attraction where tourists stare at names
those who played there over the road you know where that car
park is The Wall of Fame glistens gold discs obvious ones removed
souvenirs that you can’t buy in The Beatles Shop
rebirth of Button St in moves Wade and Ted luxury apartments for sale soon for rent BHS all glass and steel a fifties pos-tmodern dream realised
Lewis’s food hall reduced to three shelves of Rich Tea and baskets of dented tins like being the last one in Christmas Eve and buying 10 year old Macallan
to celebrate the season accosted by people trying to sign you up for credit cards with extra low interest rates only 3.9% in Central while the homeless
ask for spare change for a bed for the night turn left Bold St leading
towards cemented in Squares where once Nightingales would swoon
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