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Saturday 27 March 2010

Thursday 18 March 2010

March 3rd, 1943 -- by Zephirine



Henry Moore: Pink and Green (Tate Gallery)


Sleep on, lying safely down there on the platforms,
Huddled together in row upon row.
Something terrible’s happened at Bethnal Green Station
But no-one is talking, it’s best not to know.

Sleep on, Harry, Amy, the girl from the chippy,
The chap from the butcher’s, and Vernon and Nell,
When you wake in the morning your friends will be missing,
The steps will be swept and nobody will tell.

When you wake in the morning they will all be missing,
The ones that you loved or you saw every day,
Sleep on now, not knowing a few yards above you
They died on the steps and were taken away.

Try to sleep now, young Alf, lying there in the darkness,
Eyes wide at the shock of the things you just saw.
Try to sleep, Mrs Chumbley, you’ve done all you can
But you can’t put the dead back where they were before.

Sleep on now, the lost, in your rows in the mortuaries,
Brought in by those who worked on through the night
And who won’t close an eye in the nights that will follow.
You will be remembered, we promise. Sleep tight.


(These sites will explain more: http://www.stairwaytoheavenmemorial.org/gpage5.html
and http://spitalfieldslife.com/2010/02/11/alf-morris-survivor-of-the-bethnal-green-tube-disaster)

Wednesday 3 March 2010

Conversation on the Bus -- by Zephirine




What you got there then?
Leeks.
Leeks?
Yeah, leeks.
Leeks. You going to cook ’em then?
Yeah, going to make soup.
Soup?
Yeah, leek soup.
Leek soup. Nice.
Yeah, nice.

You got a blender have you?
No.
No blender?
No. Chop ’em up.
What, the leeks, you chop ’em up then?
Yeah, I like it chunky.
Soup?
Yeah, chunky. Big soup.
Big soup. Nice.
Yeah. Nice.

I’ll come round then, shall I?
(laugh) Yeah.
Yeah?
Yeah, you do that.
I’ll send you an email, shall I?
Yeah, when you’re coming round.
Have some soup.
Yeah, leek soup.
Leek soup, nice.
Yeah.
Nice.

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