The view above

The view above

 I wrote this in 2005 when I was living and working in Bristol,  amd walked down Whiteladies Road and Park Street every day towards Temple Quay.  It was a lovely walk past the old buildings - see if you recognise any!

Next time you walk down a city street
Try looking up,  and not at your feet
You'll be surprised at what awaits you there
Whether you glance or whether you stare
Look at the sky through a tree's branches and leaves
See all the roof tops,  gables and eaves
Window boxes full of summertime flowers
Awnings put out to guard against showers
Ornate Georgian mouldings around windows and doors
Buildings much higher than their first two floors
A chimney where a gull has stopped to rest
Look once again,  is that litter a nest?
Gargoyles look down at you with a gurn and a grin
Pull a face back at them,  go on,  join in!
Africa, India,  Canada,  Australia, with the world on their shoulders
Are former trade Atlases,  now their stone moulders
A golden crow on a weather vane swings in the breeze
A unicorn and lion are dancing with ease
Do flags fly on poles up high on College Green?
No way of knowing,  they've never been seen
Colston tower has a clock at the top
Even though it's ignored,  the hands never stop
The clouds scout about and chase across the sky
We never look up,  now I wonder why?
If the council would repair the paving stones' crumble
We could look up for longer,  without risking a stumble. 



© Copyright 2018. Chris Auger. All Rights Reserved.

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