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for once we were unself confident but now were really SURE
old values going to pieces
round us one by one and
seemingly suddenly all at once
new banners glide
the fair fresh airways
gleaming hard and metal edged
slogans and certainty certainly
for sure im sure youre
sure but wed better both be
surer than sure with new
improved sure its worth it
september 1961
stones sinking in the (narrow)
river ripples fading
whitegulls circling
land on the grassbank
stalk
careful slow with great
grace the last crumbs
of a going summer
gone too soon
crossing highstreet
High Street, Belfast
crossing highstreet
this afternoon
in
bright sunlight
that like myself
had
just about
outgrown the narrow
morning
i saw you
looking so tired now
who
never seemed
your age
an old woman
a short letter
just to see you
smile once more
i would
straightaway
walk all the way
home
but
one more day
might change my luck
and anyway
its raining
definitely degenerate
Corporation Street, Belfast
feels like friday morning,
i should go down to
corporation street and
sign on collect my money
go for a drink by
the docks win a few quid
and walk home singing
but i started work on
monday and though i
get paid today its not
the same having earned it
this sporting life
time and another
quietly brokeninto
casual day gone
by
sitting in
the public bar
of the morning star
in pottingers entry
drinking
single
reading
the sun
where templegate
is on form for
once
but
let the hare
sit
stall the ball
and tell me
this and
tell me
no more
where do civil disorder
and riot intrude
or
is it anymore real
in the labour club