Monday, July 26, 2010

Hop on the Bus, Gus

It's Monday. Oubliette harmony has been restored as our wandering other half has returned from his epic Odyssey in the US.

We have a poem for the Poetry Bus. This weeks theme - as decided by La Niamh - is 'Confusion'. Quite frankly this left me with a multitude of options. A rich, rich seam in the Oubliesphere.

Just take yesterday for example.

We all trooped into town for a bit of brunch to celebrate himself coming home. We chose a lovely little pancake/crepe place on Dawson street for our eats. As Mr Oub was up ordering, a nice old man asked me if he could sit at our table. Part of my poor little brain whispered to me that this nice old man was in fact a world famous poet, but sadly, the dominant, confused part of my brain won out and I told him to take a hike.

When Mr Oub returned to the table he exclaimed 'Hey, did you see world famous poet Brenden Kennelly?'

Sigh.

Y'know, there had been enough room at the table. He could have sat down. I could have had a fascinating conversation with the man and learnt so much. Instead I sent him packing. He had to sit at a table outside. It was kinda cold in Dublin yesterday. Had I mentioned he was old. And a famous poet?



As I said, there are so many, many areas in my life that I could have looked to for inspiration for this weeks task.

This is what I came up with.



Cartographical Confusion

It's a complete cliche
but I can't find my way
when presented with a map.
I'm completely crap,
trapped in a car,
with it's folded layers upon my lap.
They may as well be scribbles,
those infernal inky dribbles
My ordinance arse!
My little lost elbow!
I just can't follow
we're not happy bedfellows
Just where in the hell is
feckin' Portobello?!
I'll take a wild guess
No, get me a GPS
then there's some hope
of me striving
arriving
at
the
correct,
designated,
confounded,
address.



.

15 comments:

Erratic Thoughts said...

Ohh I have faced this...I can totally relate to you...set me on a little known street n I am completely lost...
Really nice description of the exact state f mind of a confused driver.
~Cheers

Niamh B said...

I love the arse and elbow reference in there!
beautifully done

Poor BK, the trauma of then having to sit outside, maybe he'll get a poem out of it!

jinksy said...

Oh, to be a back seat driver in your car - could be such a fun game!

Argent said...

Someone else has nicked my fave bit "My ordinance arse!/My little lost elbow!" But I don't care, I love it!

dublindave said...

Hello La Oub,

Here I am on the bus! I really like the way the poem ends - the rhythm of it is very expertly handled.It fits the brief perfectly and the rhythm enacts your frustration and confusion.

Titus said...

Aargh! I wanted to say the arse/elbow bit was great too.
Lovely bit of work, and that "confounded" at the end is priceless.

Kat said...

Oh, excellent and great fun! I liked the "completely crap, trapped". I get you, but for me, the confusion lies more in trying to refold the damn thing!

Kat

Enchanted Oak said...

Oh, sweet pea, I am so glad someone invented GPS for you! I love to find my way through maps and seem to have an internal compass. You make me realize I'm blessed. Like Kat, I find your word "confounded" is a great loaded weapon.

Enchanted Oak said...

Sorry, I meant to say, about The World Famous Poet and you sending him on a hike, you have my deepest sympathy.
Poetry Bus Ticket

The Bug said...

This was fun! I love maps, but I have no sense of direction - so if I don't know where I am I'll never get to where I'm going even with a map. Sigh.

Helen said...

There are times when I wonder if even GPS can save me! Though I did manage to navigate Australia and New Zealand (north island) on my own ~ on the wrong side of the road too!

Nice writing ..........

Gwei Mui said...

I know the feeling! Great poem

the watercats said...

I was 100% sure I'd left a comment round here somewhere.. but alas! appears not! Love this poem.. also a lover of arse and elbow. It reads like an extended limerick.. which is over near Antrim somewhere I think?

Peter Goulding said...

My sat nav didn't recognise the new road to Galway last month. Kept telling me to turn left every bridge we went under.
(you don't want to go to Portobello - wrong side of the city)

Totalfeckineejit said...

Love it D'oub.Trés amusant.with lovely little tings and stuff in it like the elbows /arses etc.

And remember Confusius say : ' One person's missed opportunity is another's lucky escape'