I came in, sat down in isolation,
A troubled soul in a cruel nation,
Looking for comfort in a side-street inn
And a chance to let the bad news sink in,
That my dad was dead, the day had arrived.
We always knew he would not have survived.
From the hospital I drove with lament
To New Brighton and a place Heaven sent.
Into the Perch I went, dad on my mind
But too numb and too new to grief to find
Any way of coming to terms with death
Or anything bolder than drawing breath.
Just serve up booze and warm humanity,
Give me a chance to keep my sanity.
In these moments of loss and confusion
I’m on my own, there is no collusion,
No help to plan the years that lie ahead
No words of wisdom that can be said.
But in the Perch is a kind of magic
And it prevents me from feeling tragic.
Soon isolation is lifting from me,
I’m smiling and nodding and folk can see
A spark is returning to the Wigan fellow,
He’s not happy but at least he’s mellow.
Peter Edwards speaks to him in riddles.
A puzzled Stephen fidgets and fiddles.
But conversation, well it comes at last
As Stephen starts talking, words come out fast.
He hails from Wigan but now he lives here
He remembers New Brighton and the pier.
He came here in the Sixties with his dad,
Brought in by the ferry and feeling glad
That it wasn’t Southport again instead
Or boring Morecambe, town of the dead.
New Brighton, New Brighton, home of the free,
Death of my father made better by thee.
Steve Regan.
*** For those who are interested in such things I will be reading a few of my poems at the Reckless Elbow gig at the Ginny (Little Brighton Hotel), Rake Lane, New Brighton, at around 10pm, on Tuesday 5 December.
I'll also be reading at the Dead Good Poets Society open floor at the Everyman's Third Room in Liverpool, from about 8.30pm, on Wednesday, 6 December.
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Randele Adamson wrote...
Hello Steve,
It's great that I can keep up with you and all of the Perch Rock family this way.
Coming home to the USA was great, but I dearly miss all of my friends I have met over the last 8 years in England.
I hope all of you are well and have a great New Year. I would of loved to have celebrated with all of you at the Perch.
None of you will ever be forgotten and I will definitely come back to visit.
I had many great times in the "Den of Iniquity" and had many good drunken nights. The pics that I have will be with me the rest of my life....
Thank all of you for welcoming me, being my friends, and showing and teaching me what life is all about.
Take care my friend and hope to see you again....
"That'll work"
Randele
*** Hey, Randy, great to hear from you. Hope things are going beautifully for you back in the good old USA. STEVE.
Posted by: Randele Adamson | January 28, 2007 3:06 AM