Boot sales make me feel so sad sometimes.
The Almost Woman whores her life
on a drizzling Sunday morning.
She watches the punters pass by,
avoiding eye contact.
"Spare me no pity for I am done with all this."
She is selling her memories.
Tastefully displayed,
laid out on a wobbly pasting table.
Chipped white china and a David Bowie LP.
Left over pieces of dreams.
Plans made in the momentum of days
when time stretched like an elastic band;
the future stored in boxes and bags.
Now tomorrow is here
and passion palled plans clutter
her world with reminders of her failings,
evidenced in this corner of a wet field.
Five pounds for a pitch, just five pounds
for a place to rid herself of hope.
"How much for the Keep Fit video?"
"Fifty pence, it didn't work for me."
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Written by Blade (14 comments posted) 6th April 2005 |
| Sadness. I think you wanted to make readers feel pity for someone who lost in her life and you managed it with me. The display of memories by ordinary belongings. An ending sentence of someone broken. And the title fitting the climate. |
Written by PaulMcDermott ( comments posted) 7th April 2005 |
I would add "desperation".
Wet Sundays spent at car boot sales is often a last, desperate throw of the dice by someone with no other alternatives - for example, the "invisible statistics" who DON'T rate a mention in Unemployment figures, because unless you are out of work AND claiming benefit you don't exist, according to Govt. statistics. Believe me, I know a LOT of people who fit in this category!
Very thoughtful, spidey - liked it a lot. |
Written by spiderbaby49 (137 comments posted) 7th April 2005 |
Thanks Blade and Paul. Yes there are a lot of people who simply don't show up on the radar Paul.
I have been one of these. The wife of a man on jobseekers is almost invisible, although last time this unfortunate state of affairs occured I kept getting letters from the DSS asking me to attend 'back to work through training' interviews. If they could not find him a job they wanted to take us off benefits by making me play there game. I did not, however, want to train as call centre fodder, a care assistant or a fork lift truck operator!!!
Fortunately my hub is now advanced dip counselling through his fantastic efforts at college and he has a very good, steady career. I am still a non person though! A housewife and mother.
I have seen some pitifully sad sights at boot sales.
It is amazing though, to have a clear out of junk, set up that wobbly table in a corner of a field and find out that some people will buy another person's old junk for a few quid!
I usually do a few when I am planning to go to a festival in the summer. My daughter and I haul out a few books and clothes, some assorted bic a brac and videos and make our spending money for the festival.
All of which inspired the poem!
spidey |
The Almost Woman
Written by redshelly (6 comments posted) 8th April 2005 |
Maybe we have something in common the non person thing Imean A housewife and mother thing. Do you ever get tired of being everybody elses pick me up and I don't mean a tonic
To get back to the subject in question the poem, I must be sader than her I have not got my act together and sorted my failed starts into a box they are everywhere all over the house.
Perhaps its just my irish nature but your poem illustrated so much of myself it made me laugh, well If we don't at ourselves once in a while we would cry.
Over here boot sales are great entertainment God I really must be a non person.
But to be serious you touched a spot. If you have reared several children and never seem to get the chance to follow your own dreams to make sure every body else achieves theirs you'll know what I mean.
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Written by spiderbaby49 (137 comments posted) 9th April 2005 |
Thanks Redshelly. Glad my poem touched a chord with you.
I have boxes of beads but no necklaces
piles of material but no curtains
mountains of paint tins and unpainted walls
but
I have a considerable amount of poetry on various site
I've made lots of friends online
although
sometimes I think I live in this alternative reality a little too much!
spidey |
Well done
Written by Betsie (30 comments posted) 15th April 2005 |
| I loved this poem - you captured the moment beautifully and let us meet that person selling her memories. |
Thanks Betsie
Written by spiderbaby49 (137 comments posted) 15th April 2005 |
Boot sales are a rich and varied banquet of lives laid bare.
spidey |
Car Boot Gem
Written by oxy (28 comments posted) 22nd April 2005 |
| car boot sales are usually full of other peoples junk, but the seller usually has a untold reason for selling. This poem tells that story so clear, its a gem. |
Boot sales
Written by jean.day (2266 comments posted) 21st September 2005 |
| I liked it, but I must admit that I never thought of boot sales in those terms. Mostly I think it is bargain mad women like me who just love the idea of getting rid of old stuff and buying in somebody else's junk. But I will keep your poem in mind next time I go. |
Written by Sweetheart (14 comments posted) 26th September 2005 |
 Ah yes the great boot sale. My sister is an avid goer..I went along once and managed to find the perfect lid to my casserole dish (which had been smashed about five years previously) for 50p. Treasure indeed. But the poem really showed us some insight into the woman, selling off her old memories - she had moved on to another place/time and had no use for those items. |
Written by JodhiDee (15 comments posted) 10th May 2006 |
I love car boot sales the ability to control what we sell and what we consume the hustle & bustle of people the smell of junk,musty travel rugs and coffee in polystyrene cups.
I loved your poem just as much a real insight to the reasons behind the selling of wares. I feel I was standing looking at herself and items.
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