Double Cream: The Outing
Joyce Worsfold's words stride along to the beat of a compassionate heart - and here are not enough of those in the world.
I saw you yesterday
All six of you
Shambling in, holding hands
Two of you clinging
Like broken saplings
It took some time to seat you
around the table.
Steel chairs with vinyl seats
Grabbed at you,
You were so afraid and
leapt up and up
howling consternation.
Those around tut-tutted,
shook heads
averted eyes.
I practiced a smile and you seized on at it
Chortling and pointing
It disappeared.
Six pairs of eyes
broken mirrors of nonsense.
One of you broke away
Monkey arms flailing
and bayed at your reflection
in stainless-steel fittings.
Neon-lit signs terrified
"Sausage chips and peas"
are devil whips and darkened dreams.
You cover your head and curl
a wounded hedgehog
on a cafeteria floor.
They lift you, one each side
And frog-march to a van
And I see you rocking back and forth
and all around, teacups
**
Joyce Worsfold and Robert Taylor, the authors of Double Cream, are brother and sister and have spent most of their working lives teaching children in Yorkshire. They have written together since child-hood, producing poetry, stories, plays, musicals, song lyrics and monologues. Over 30 years they have performed their work for many audiences mostly in the North of England and Scotland, delighting thousands and bringing them both laughter and tears.]
Joyce can be contacted for bookings at
http://www.joyceworsfoldwrites.com/
telephone 01924 840 847
Robert can be contacted for bookings at
http://www.dangeroo.co.uk
telephone 01830 520 344
