Briefing the Minister

Day 14: Today’s challenge is a fun one: write a poem that takes the form of the form of the opening scene of the movie of your life.  Does it open with a car chase? A musical number? A long scene panning across a verdant plain? You’re the director (and also the producer, the actors, the set designer, the cinematographer, and the lowly assistant that buys doughnuts for the crew) – so it’s all up to you!

I doubt a film of my life since I've retired would be very interesting - it'd be a slow moving British film about female relationships, set in the countryside! So I've chosen a  more interesting 'scene' from when I was working.  

Westminster Bridge: the camera pans along

The frontage of the Houses of Parliament.

Two women, one early forties (Nichola Walker?)

One slightly older (Emma Thompson if available)

Cross the crowded morning street,

Narrowly dodging black cabs, buses, bicycles.

They enter an imposing grey stone building, 

The camera panning to the brass plaque:

Marsham Street, Department of the Environment.

We follow them through the rigmarole of security: 

A tired guard (unknown actor, non-speaking part)

Perfunctorily searches their bags.

We see them full of document files,

An assortment of pens, highlighters, post-it notes,

As well as the usual purses, phones, combs.

Their bags are handed back on the other side - 

The revolving cylindrical chamber too narrow

For anything carried in their arms. 

Cut to the Minister's office: dark panelled, 

Thick carpeted, large mahogany desk, 

Drinks cabinet off to one side, 

Two plump, plush settees facing each other.

The Minister, floppy haired (Hugh Grant, or lookalike),

At his desk, absorbed in scattered papers, 

Stands to greet the women, motions them to sit,

Arranges for coffee, biscuits; the usual pleasantries. 

Nichola leads the briefing, at first nervous,  

Deferring to Emma, clearly the most senior,

But becoming more assured as Hugh nods along

Asking two or three questions she can easily answer. 

Fade to the House of Commons, Hugh on the front bench

Nichola and Emma away to the side in the briefing box. 

The cut and thrust of a boisterous parliamentary session - 

Nichola passing notes as she anticipates questions, 

Hugh nodding gratefully, in the nick of time -

(Truth doesn't need to get in the way of a good scene).

Cut to Nichola and Emma on their way to Westminster Station,

Exhausted but smiling, at a job well done.  

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