Stilettos and Cider

Hello Poetry Lovers

Today I’d like to feature my lovely and talented friend, Trisha Broomfield’s poem Stilettos and Cider.

This was longlisted very recently in the Plough Poetry Prize 2022, and well deserved too. Would you believe Trisha didn’t even know until I told her! Thank God I did. Trisha has given permission for me to share this warm and intricate piece with you. Well done, Trisha.

Stilettos and Cider

Youth confident we swing into the public bar

stilettos spike the flagstone floor,

landlord Don, a scowl to match his stout

huffs smoker’s breath on glasses from the wash

the fire roars mottles from our northern thighs

glows roses on our cider cheeks.

Flat-capped chaps talk bass notes

about sheep and old Harry’s knees

in the saloon, Eric wobbles on a plush-topped stool

fingers his fob chain, leers broken-veined

over yet another port.

Sally Army Sandra trips over Derek’s dog

ends up bonnet-squiffed in Arthur’s lap

collecting tin rattling thin.

Norma feeds the juke box, bops to Puppet on a String

disapproving looks cling to our sweaters

darts fly past our back-combed hair,

girls aren’t allowed to play.

We’re sussing out the only young farmer in the room

shame he’s ginger.

Trisha Broomfield 2022

Wasn’t that just beautiful, PL’s? It’s nice to see a great piece like that acknowledged and long-listed at the very least. Thank you, Trisha for letting me share that with our poetry lovers.

Stay tuned for more poetry shenanigans real soon…..