Friday 4 July 2003

WALKABOUTSVERSE 46 OF 230

Poem 46 of 230:  THE NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL

The carnival
    Of Notting Hill:
A cultural
    Quite-overt bill.

Moving-discos
    On big lorries -
Their beat echoes
    For all to please.

Whistles, drums, hands;
    Soca, reggae;
And steel bands:
    All make crowds stay.

Red, yellow, green -
    Hues of Rasta -
Are often seen,
    As is samba.

Huge cloth-people
    Are wire-bound -
Wings the staple-
    Apparel found.

Following floats:
    Walking lap-dance,
And some keen folks
    Drummed into trance.

People-traffic
    Flowing one-way;
Cops terrific -
    Keep things okay.

But growth of crowd
    Raises food-cost -
Touts seem allowed...
    Some spirit lost?

And it made me
    (Back from my roam),
Culturally,
    Feel not-home.

(C) David Franks 2003

Local mural of Notting Hill Carnival 26/9/15