Poem

Summer Swing

It must be the weather. Or is it me?
Or is this city eager to indulge in
the frolics of the end of an era
attuned to the swings of a millennial
DJ? And they’ve all decided to dance?
They all once danced in the limelight of the
clubs and the pubs, in the street, in the queues,
high on E, down the gutters; LSD
helped the punters to dance to the sounds of
techno, house, and progressive lambada
They now dance in all corners to the rings
of the mobiles and the horns of policemen,
ambulances and firemen. And they dance
in the rain and the sunshine, and smog.
And they dance in the cafes, and they dance
in the markets, and they dance in the parks.
I have seen arty types dancing in
Hoxton Square where the aged are not welcome,
unless, of course, they’re faking their age
and dress in retro clothes and dance again
to the tunes that they never forgot but
are new to the boys and the girls in the
new dancing scene. Dancing queens and drag kings,
slick cool blacks, scruffy whites, sassy babes,
pretty boys, dancing in the West End
have a hell of a time and don’t mind
all the pansies in Old Compton Street.
And these do, they do, they do dance and dance,
and sometimes even get laid; so they say.
Camden Town, Brixton, Vauxhall, Brick Lane
dance to the grooves of alternative strains.
And I’ve witnessed the dance of the homeless
with the visitors who spare some change.
I’ve even seen tortured poets who dance
in cafés in Earls Court, Covent Garden,
Notting Hill, Tuffnel Park, the South Bank,
to the rhythms of floor spots and slam.
Trendy poets in clubs also dance,
and those caught in the grit also dance,
and the posh and the stiff dance and dance,
celebrate the Olympic announcement, which
was spoiled by the bombs...; but who cares?
It may seem that a stream of cool vibes,
happy soul, bouncy pop, groovy swing,
marks the beats of this city that dances
in the neon-light shades of the Wheel.

Ernesto Sarezale
London, UK

Ernesto Sarezale is the pen name of a London-based Basque poet and performer. Published in various paper magazines and e-zines; winner of the odd poetry slam and comedy gong show; billed at countless poetry events, burlesque nights and arts happenings; and promoter of the annual Glam Slam poetry competition.

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