Feb. 16, 2020
British Rail (old recording) wishes to announce
a change of platform to the scheduled one.
The express train to Manchester Airport due to arrive
at platform four will now enter the station on platform two.
British Rail wishes to apologise both for the old recording
and for the change in platform.
Will passengers intending to travel to Manchester Airport
please make their way to platform two.
Travellers barrel up twenty-four steps, rush twenty paces,
descend twenty-four steps hurriedly, arrive breathlessly on the platform.
British Rail (old, old recording) wishes to announce
a change of platform to the altered one.
The express train to Manchester Airport due to arrive
at changed platform two will now enter the station on platform one.
British Rail wishes to apologise both for the old old recording
and for the extra change in platform.
Will passengers intending to travel to Manchester Airport
please make their way to platform one.
Travellers barrel up twenty-four steps rush twenty paces,
descend twenty-four steps achingly, arrive chest-pained on the platform.
British Rail (old, old, old recording) wishes to announce
a change, change of platform to the scheduled one.
The express train to Manchester Airport due to arrive
at the changed, changed platform one will now enter the station on platform four.
British Rail wishes to apologise both for the old, old, old recording
and for the extra change, change, change in platform.
Travellers crawl up twenty-four steps stagger twenty paces,
descend twenty-four steps collapse onto the platform.
British Rail (old, old, old, old Recording) wishes to announce
the train to Manchester Airport has been cancelled.
British Rail (prehistoric recording) wishes to apologise to those
passengers who have been hospitalised as a result of these changes.
Transpennine Express wishes to happily announce that
passengers waiting for the cancelled Manchester Airport express
have burned up twenty thousand calories, raised heartbeat
by two hundred per cent and toned leg muscles beyond recognition.
Manchester Transport is delighted with the result of its Aerobic Exercise
experiment and continues to make passenger health its top priority.
Peter Clarke
Phil Lynch
17.02.2020 17:14
Nice one Peter. Strikes me it would make for a funny short sketch too!
FÍONA K M
I love it!! Still laughing!!
16.02.2020 14:13
Latest comments
25.11 | 22:15
Grief is experience through the mundane. Simple but powerful. The accompanying image really compliments the poem.
07.11 | 11:14
Hi Peter,
A great observation! Social media can be a scary place... I also need to reduce my time there
Hugs,
John.x
06.11 | 16:24
A great one, Peter, in the context you describe. I don't read social media myself, I doubt my equilibrium could stand it. 'The balance of his mind disturbed' yes, I think it would be.
06.11 | 15:59
Yes, gossip is a weapon of mass destruction.
In my business as well as personal life I have zero tolerance.
Echoes of the Old on the New Battlefields
Warrior chiefs of the GAA were early on the field to prepare:
Posts and cones positioned to mark territories
Very young novices came later by parents’ chariots
clad and shod for the ensuing battles
Firstly, paced for speed, resilience and flexibility,
then marked off into opposing teams
Each warrior chief led a young squad of hopefuls
in further exercises to bring them to fit levels
There followed a huddle, an exhortation rant,
responded with clamour of intent and enthusiasm
Skirmishes began, speed across the field, hunt for the ball,
to be delivered as the goal, or to be prevented at all costs
Warrior chiefs egged on, instructed, altered the field of play
the young ’uns complied with fighting spirit
For every fall and hurt spells were cast on the side line
till fitness returned and they were entered back into play
Scores mounted, roars enhanced, casualties grew,
novices flagged and regrouped across the fields
Between bouts came the talks of encouragement
Stay back, pass, pass, pass, keep the pace.
Old hands passing skill onto new palms with dedication,
a gift of generous wisdom gladly given
Peter Clarke
20th April 2024