Ivory Tower

Day 22: today is all about metonymy - write a poem that invokes a specific object as a symbol of a particular time, era, or place.


Our ivory tower was a block of flats
A clever architect's solution, concealing a chimney stack
Sited along the central spine, in a corner of the square 
It took centre stage, before the site expanded. 

The tower sounded a jarring note, too modern 
In a campus of honey coloured concrete quadrangles
Vainly trying to emulate its more ancient siblings
To give it gravitas. 

At the tower's foot sat the newsagents 
Where we searched through the piles of second hand books
For recommended texts, before heading to the bookstore
Thoughtfully sited next to the bank. 

A tower of windows, each flashing a poster
Declaring the political allegiance of the student inside - 
My own swayed by the cool,  bearded,  tutor 
Unaware of my schoolgirl crush.

The tower where, the wrong side of a too early marriage, 
Coaxed into the afternoon bed of a friend - 
Arabian,  exotic,  impossibly exciting -
I took the first step along the long guilt road. 

My ivory tower of memories, held close through all these decades
A golden time, of learning, politics, love, sex and cigarettes,
Reveals a carefully constructed facade aimed at pleasing others 
Whilst concealing a secret core. 

 © Copyright 2021. Chris Auger. All Rights Reserved 






Comments

  1. Ron.22 April 2021 at 04:52

    I spent more time in the campus coffee shop than in the library; more time out on the quad than in the lecture halls. Still, even after all these words, I still feel pretty smart.
    Enjoyed your vignette!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UleyChris22 April 2021 at 07:42

      Thanks Ron. Always good to get good feedback! (I think I spent more time in the bar than in the coffee shop...)

      Delete

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