pod

[Catherine Edmunds]

I spent my whole life designing the pod
the one perfect pod
but never expected to fly
then last thursday around half past three
you greeted me with
"my gracious silence, hail!"
to which I didn't reply

we stepped together into the pod
ready to descend the dizzying heights
in search of sustenance
or at least a cup of tea
when thanks to a gas leak
an explosion ripped the building apart
propelling the pod out the top of the lift shaft
and into vertiginous freedom

you looked surprised as we flew in an arc
that stopped at the top in a moment of stillness
"fie upon this quiet life" you murmured
but then, before I could give you a slap
the rushing wind caught us and hurtled us down
with the roar of a dying building

we landed and rolled and bounced on the ground
you held my hand tightly
and whispered quotations from Beckett
but despite this annoyance
apart from some bruising and black eyes
a couple of cracked ribs
we managed to survive unscathed

I designed my pod well and am justly proud
but you were just pleased to be with me
and not, I might add, for the joy of riding
my perfectly proportioned plexiglass pod
but rather because it gave you the chance
to bore me again between bounces and buffets
with that piece you've been practising
for your opening next week in brighton

sodding brighton

[Louis P. Burns aka Lugh]

Hi Delph

If it's ok with you, I'm going to let this one sit with me for a while. I find it loaded with comedy in motion which is brilliant and the narrative of it all hooked me instantly, but I'm not fully aware (yet) of what it's about. That said, maybe that's what you intended which is cool...

Thanks for sharing mate...

[the_leander]

Nice work

Going to have to mull over it for a while myself though I suspect

[Catherine Edmunds]

Thanks guys.

I should point out that quite often in my poetry I'm a story teller, pure and simple, and there is no subtext whatsoever, so please don't go searching for any 'deeper meaning' in this one. I had a picture of one of those pods they use on the London Eye in my head, plus I was slightly irritated with an actor in Brighton I know, so the two ideas went together and I ran with it. That's all