Jeremy Boyce lives in the south of France, working in a variety of fields including French – English translation/re-writing, authoring three instruction books about Kitesurfing and Power Kiting, in addition to many years of experience writing copy for press promo, marketing and sales in the music, leisure sports and tourism industries. More recently he’s ventured into creative work, some flash fiction singles and series, short stories, concrete poetry… Don’t try following him on social media, he’s not there ! Just read his stuff where you find it, starting right here, right now.
Swinging 60s
St George, slaying dragons and parading the corpse. 23rd April, 23rd Shrewsbury, ging-gang-gooly poles erect with fluttering flags held firm in thin white pubescent hands and sturdy leather pole-holders. Marching band warming up their rousing tunes perfect for parading, 1-2-3-4. All lined up, troop by pack, neckerchief by neckerchief, woggle by woggle, standing, waiting, fidgeting. We’ll dib-dib-dib, we’ll dob-dob-dob. Akela, we’ll do our best.
Percy’s park, sloping landscapingly down to the Severn-yards-wide-at-the-very-least river. Angel of Death silently standing in her cold stone house, below the church, beyond the balustrade, watching, seen it all dozens of times or more, before. Scouters camping, Owls browning, Guiders guiding, Akela doing their best. On my honour I promise….
Not to stare at the massive, gargantuan, pendulous, independently swinging tits of middle aged someone else’s Arkela doing somebody else’s best, running final orders down the hill, essential notes for the front of the parade, 1-2-3-4, left-right, left-right, left over right under, right over left under, bouncing and swinging this way and that, over round and in-between, strong shoulders and sturdy hips, thick skirt and sensible brogues. Left right right left left left right right slow quick right left quick slow responding to irregular footwork and un-practiced knees.
Unable not to stare, and wonder. Is there a badge for that ? Akela will swoop her breasts, We’ll dib-dib-dib, we’ll do our best to do our duty to this and that, help other people, and keep it to ourselves when we have strange thoughts.
Pom-pom-pom-pom and off we go, drums battering the beat, 1-2-3-4, round the block and into church, with a strange bounce in our step, all ready for praying and dragon slaying.
Impression 12
Narrow streets rising and falling, diagonally criss-cross flatly rising and falling in one way only then the other and parking difficulty, sloping up down across through between fish port tall houses, old and crumbly, ornate stonework and new renders, down up sloping roofs different heights flat and steep. Washing and beach towels hang, losing their colour slowly in the hot slow salty sun, plastic parasol folded for future shading. Sun, shade, one side or other of low high flat steep pitch roofs, breeze flap sheets and pants, soon ready for folding, rusting railings to help keep them up. Black tarmac road rise steeply upwards to steeper steps climbing, old stones ascending to glory and faith interiors, bell ring it’s o’clock. Up for God, down for fish. Tall steeple statue sun bronzed pointed crown upstanding sure on big stone masonry old and new, some recently restored. Chit-chat people pavement pass, bags for the beach or groceries, carried up down narrow streets rising and falling, down for fish, up for God. Footsteps pitter-patter-passing-by, bags carried or not, sheets and pants ready for folding now the sun is hot and high, no shade either side in narrow streets sloping everyways down to the fish and beach, up to God and blue sky, thinking? What lies beyond ? Bow tie passes, making his way to top step with guitar friend case carry, standing, waiting, for someone ? Something ? Balcony plants drip while others die, sheets and pants folded now. Wind flap, guitar strap safely stowed for no railing snags. Bell ring people pass, going down, going up, catching breath on the flats. Quick steps rattle and roll behind, suited and booted he, wedding dress her, pushed pram hurrying forward, small child hand-hold, pausing briefly for the steep steps pram carry hand hold, top step bow tie guitar case big smiles carry friend waiting in the sun. Ding-dong-ding, time for the wedding ring.
impspired 