- "While story telling is the worst,
- I'll volunteer to tell mine first.
- My name is Mim, I'm twenty two,
- My calling is to share with you
- My life of decadence and glam
- On YouTube, Twitter, Instagram.
- I know you're thinking: Who is she?
- How does she live so perfectly?
- "The things I do to stay this way:
- Repaint my eyebrows twice a day;
- Extend my locks with human hair;
- (Retrieved from women God knows where);
- I plump my lips with filler gel
- (With breast enhancement booked as well);
- My nether parts with bleach I treat;
- And fish exfoliate my feet."
- "I get this thing called JSA
- That gives creators steady pay.
- I have to sign on fortnightly -
- I guess they're like my agency."
- The sporty youth did interject
- "I'll prob'ly see you, I expect:
- I also sign on for the dole -
- But never had to bleach my hole."
- If bothered, she did not let on
- Ignored the youth, and carried on:
- "I've got a team who take my pics
- And edit footage — my sidekicks.
- They're on an unpaid internship
- Until I get some sponsorship,
- But I expect some any day
- And once that comes I'll give them pay."
- "Until it comes, these times are hard,
- I'm maxing out my credit card
- On clothing, beauty treatments, shoes -
- The things that drive my on-line views.
- I can't wait for the funds to come,
- Move out the house I share with mum.
- A city penthouse I will rent
- With floorspace for my spray-tan tent.
- "Before that happens, I'm stuck here,
- Prepared to judge my waiting peer.
- I'm disconnected from my fans,
- Neglecting all my filming plans.
- This contest helps to some degree
- Consume artistic energy.
- No more about myself I'll say,
- Let's get my story underway."____
- I saw this tragedy unfold,
- Three years ago, the truth be told.
- A pair who were at school with me
- At St. Veron Academy.
- His name was Roland J O'Toole,
- A senior pupil at the school.
- A sporting hero of the town,
- In football he held much renown.
- With sandy hair and suntanned skin,
- Athletic frame enclosed within
- His prefect's blazer, golden braid,
- To show that he had made the grade
- As captain of the football team.
- (Since first year that had been his dream.)
- The school's A-list celebrity,
- So popular and charmed was he.
- And from the junior years, our maid
- With wavy hair an Auburn shade
- Her name was Julianna Thwaites,
- But known as Julie to her mates.
- No sporting team would let her in,
- Instead she played the violin
- In orchestra three times a week
- Rehearsing string and bow technique.
- She hadn't had a boyfriend yet
- But lustfully she hoped to get
- A beau that she could call her own
- (At least one she could practice on)
- So while we're paused, to no avail,
- I'll tell our star-crossed lovers' tale
- Of Rolly O and Julie T
- At St. Veron Academy.____
- The Sports Club ball was in the spring,
- A sporty pupils' gathering,
- Where players from each discipline
- Would find a pub who'd let them in:
- A social club, or bowling green,
- Who'd serve them though they weren't eighteen.
- T'was famous as a raucous night
- That partied through to morning light.
- The football, tennis, rugby crew,
- And even golfers, swimmers too,
- Were all invited to attend
- The Friday of the May weekend.
- A source of pupil jealousy,
- The guest list it was held to be
- Exclusive to the sporting set
- (Their plus-ones they could all forget)
- Excluded from the invite list,
- Alas, musicians always missed
- The school's night of debauchery,
- But that would not stop Julie T.
- She had designs on Eddie Bream
- The fly-half from the rugby team,
- So travelled to the ball's venue
- To trespass at the Sports Club do.
- Together with her friend, Adele,
- They snuck in by the back stair well
- In search of Julie's paramour.
- They both slipped through a fire door,
- Of Railston Miner's Welfare Club
- (A sticky carpet, flat-roof pub)
- And came out by the disco gear
- Into the smell of stagnant beer.
- The lights were low, a smoke machine
- Ensured their cunning stayed unseen,
- So no-one noticed them arrive
- Into this dingy drinking dive.
- And through the crowd they both did squeeze.
- "We'll have two Pernod Fanta, please."
- The barman rolled his eyes then turned
- To fetch the cocktails that they yearned.
- But then, the subject of her dream,
- Our Julie spotted Eddie Bream,
- "But look! He has his arm around
- That tennis slapper, Stacey Hound!
- And now they're snogging! Such disgrace,
- I think she's going to eat his face!
- How cruel to flaunt it, such a shock
- (Despite the fact we never talk.)"
- "Betrayed!" our Julie then declared,
- Before their drinks had been prepared.
- She fled the scene trailed by Adele
- (Who liked a drama, just as well).
- The barman turned to take their cash
- And just in time to see them dash,
- He saw them leave the bar with haste:
- Two Pernod Fanta gone to waste.
- So broken hearted Jules did flee
- Onto the smokers' balcony
- Where leaning on the ballustrade
- Was Rolly O — our likely lad.
- He rolled a jazzy cigarette,
- and paid no heed to Juliet
- Who, silenced now, did long survey
- Him through a fog of Mary J.
- Perhaps she didn't want poor Ed,
- perhaps she'd have this boy instead.
- .
- (Parked 15 February 2022)
- (Reconsidered 27 Jun 2022)____
by Albert Semple
149 lines over 20 stanzas.