PACKING AWAY

Packing Away

Today I packed my memories of you away

Every last one 

Better stacked safely on the shelf

Than see them thrown into a sack

To drown

I moth-balled them and there they'll stay

Like a child stores away the toys someday

He eventually outgrows.

I close the cupboard firmly tight

Stare at it, frown: still work to do

I scrape the varnish from the wood 

And run my hands across the grain

Its smoothness softly shares my skin

Then take the paint I'll use as coat

But just as I begin.  Stop. 

I prefer it plain. 

(c)  S Evans 2014

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

My name's Charlie and I'm fifty-one
I've got four daughters and I've got a son
I've had three wives, more of less
and lots of other women when I've transgressed

I photograph weddings for my trade
and document the moment when your vows are made

Wedding photographer, now give me a smile
Wedding photographer, we may be here a while
Wedding photographer, please stand over there
Wedding photographer just relax, don't stare
Wedding photographer, now say cheese
Wedding photographer, all face right if you please...


My first marriage lasted over twenty years
A great deal of that time was spent in tears
I gambled and I womanised quite a lot
And drank heavily, I was quite the sot
Judith finally left me and took the girls away
And the divorce papers landed on the very next day

Wedding photographer, more to the side
Wedding photographer, please re-kiss the bride
Wedding photographer, bunch up some more
Wedding photographer, now lift her off the floor
Wedding photographer, no one make a sound
Wedding photographer, throw your bouquet to the crowd...

My second wife Penny was highly strung
She was needy and possessive and awfully young
Her parents disapproved of me and it led to a fight
I ended up cruising bars every night
It seemed like it was over before it hardly begun
She left me for a policeman but she gave me a son.

Wedding photographer, let's have mum and dad
Wedding photographer, please don't look so sad
Wedding photographer, the bride and her maid
Wedding photographer, don't stand too near the shade
Wedding photographer, just five more shots to take
Wedding photographer, now pretend to cut the cake

Yasmin, my third wife was a mail order bride
Packed and packaged and fragile inside
Once we'd been together for almost two years
I came home to find she'd disappeared
With the help of a PI I tracked her down
Where she'd hooked up with a woman in a north eastern town
Seems she'd had this girlfriend all along
I was too busy with my weddings to ever think she'd do me wrong

Wedding photographer, now give me a smile
Wedding photographer,I like the natural style
Wedding photographer, give them some room
Wedding photographer, let's have the best man with the groom
Wedding photographer, you'll want a close up of the ring
Wedding photographer, you're my first wedding this spring

I guess it would easy to be bitter and mean
And cynical and twisted by the whole marriage scene
But I'm a sucker for a wedding with ordinary folk
And a crowd of happy people full of cheer and love and hope
So when I see a newly wed husband and wife
I sincerely wish them both a wonderful life

Wedding photographer, try not to frown
Wedding photographer, I really like your gown
Wedding photographer, you won't know I'm here
Wedding photographer, I work through the year
Wedding photographer I'll re-take it again
Wedding photographer we might just avoid the rain

(c) Stephen Evans 2015