by Stuart Quinn
People make a town
Our neighbours and mates
Not terrace-row houses, not old-fashioned slates
Not feather-edged fences, nor wrought-iron gates
People make a town
Nodded hellos and waved goodbyes
Not afternoon heatwaves, not evening-red skies
Not moonsets on hilltops, nor early sunrise
People make a town
Generous hearts and kind souls
Not aqueduct arches, not art on the walls
Not train station platforms, nor grand old town halls
People make a town
Mums hugging children outside of pre-schools
Not book-lending libraries, not shop-window jewels
Not wooden park benches, nor cocktail bar stools
People make a town
Laughing at dad when he’s wearing odds socks
Not internet bargains, not jungle-scene clocks
Not coffee room armchairs, nor wedding belle frocks
People make a town
Grandad dancing with Grandma despite two left feet
Not nursing home gardens, not cobble-lined streets
Not OAP haircuts, nor bingo hall seats
People make a town
Bus drivers, street sweepers and crossing patrols
Not puddles on pavements, not four-thousand holes
Not roadworks to fix them, nor traffic controls
People make a town
Foster parents and Night Safe who help those at risk
Not Victorian buildings, not Renaissance-style bricks
Not roundabout sculptures, not cathedral-walled discs
People make a town
Entertaining children in panto costumes
Not theatre-style seating, not projector-lit gloom
Not cricket pavilions, nor moorland tower views
People make a town
“Appreciate the small things”, “Them’s just the breaks”
Not hidden-smile shopping, not bans on handshakes
Not Tier 4 cancellations of tiered wedding cakes
People make a town
Worry-lined parents of cynical teens
Not social distancing guidelines, not home-quarantines
Not testing site cordons, not queues for vaccines
People make a town
Making plans for the future, and fond memories
Not flowers in springtime, not autumnal trees,
Not warm summer sunshine, nor a stiff winter breeze
People make a town
From delivery-ward babies, to end-of-life care
From morning communions, to late evening prayers
For richer, for poorer, for better, for worse
Yes, people make a town,
You, me, we and us
Address details:
On the junction of Barbara Castle Way – next to traffic lights
