Bungalow Town

Part of the ‘Past to Present’ series from Jemverse

Just east of the church on the foreshore
bungalows once on the beach
presented a vista of Shoreham
history has put out of reach
Popularised by early movies
actors built many homes there
salvaging old railway carriages
the carriage works then had to spare
Mary Loftus, a music hall favourite
Florrie Ford, Ernie Mayne, Marie Lloyd
all of the lovelies who flocked to the beach
making it hard to avoid

42 years and the Force

In the heat of the summer
for a special treat
as we’d both left school for good
A good friend of mine and I
thought that a film
would fit the bill fine as it should

Something called ‘Star Wars’
was all of the rave
so both of us ventured to Brighton
Queued up at the Odeon
for a good seat
unprepared for what would enlighten

And the Oscar Goes To…

as I sit in the dark and experience
a life
does it make me forget
that it is
not my own
do I feel surrounded and different
for the two hour show

Casablanca 2

He was there every night

“Tickling the ivories” as we used to say

Sam was a big man

Who caressed the piano until first light

The Cleaner At The Cinema

I don’t have a great job

I’m the cleaner at the local cinema

I wait until the movie has finished

And then I pick up the rubbish left behind

Old Friends

 

Old movies like old friends
Draw you in and bring a smile
Especially when in absence
You’ve not seen them in a while

Case Studies

 

I search for love in this crooked world,

but find it wanting.

Those movies are no help to me with their

profanities of love, those false sentiments.

Cheekbones clashing falsely on cheekbones.

I try the radio but saccharine words are an

insult to the storm in my belly.