That's Where The Sea Comes In

[sunny-dave]

A poem written by John Cooper Clarke for The National Trust :

Nation's Ode to the Coast
Dr John Cooper Clarke

A big fat sky and a thousand shrieks
The tide arrives and the timber creaks
A world away from the working week
Où est la vie nautique?
That’s where the sea comes in…

Dishevelled shells and shovelled sands,
Architecture all unplanned
A spade ‘n’ bucket wonderland
A golden space, a Frisbee and
The kids and dogs can run and run
And not run in to anyone
Way out! Real gone!
That’s where the sea comes in…

Impervious to human speech, idle time and tidal reach
Some memories you can’t impeach
That’s where the sea comes in
A nice cuppa splosh and a round of toast
A cursory glance at the morning post
A pointless walk along the coast
That’s what floats my boat the most
That’s where the sea comes in…

Now, voyager - once resigned
Go forth to seek and find
The hazy days you left behind
Right there in the back of your mind
Where lucid dreams begin
With rolling dunes and rattling shale
The shoreline then a swollen sail
Picked out by a shimmering halo
That’s where the sea comes in…

Could this be luck by chance?
Eternity in a second glance
A universe beyond romance
That’s where the sea comes in…
Yeah, that’s where the sea comes in…


I think it's great - there's a video to accompany it - I'll post a link next.

[sunny-dave]

.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9p4pVUsFrs

[Elina]

Brilliant isn't it Dave! Oh ... I had a JCC badge in the 70s!! ;0)

[sunny-dave]

I saw JCC many times - ranging from venues the size (and smell) of toilets in Salford, to the full-on tours with the Invisble Girls.

I had found him rather dis-spiriting recently - recycling poems from his heyday with very little new output at all - but this new poem is good stuff - very evocative indeed.

[Togo]

Brilliant sunny dave. He broke the mould for poets somewhat, the first 'punk' poet.

[humbersloop]

I agree, a cracker Dave and a lovely poem for that day - I could hear him speaking the first time I read it

[Mamyalynne]

He's a superstar in my book, brilliant.

[Lie-in King]

That's brilliant, thank you Dave! Brought back some very good memories :-))

[viv41]

I absolutely love that.

"Now, Voyager - once resigned
Go forth to seek and find
The hazy days you left behind
Right there in the back of your mind ....."

WOW.

[Sipowicz]

Saw John last week supporting Squeeze, he was, as always, brilliant.

[gness]

Bliss.........☺

[sunny-dave]

Thanks everyone - I saw this described as "doggerel" elsewhere - I think I may be banned from that site after my reply ...

... it's vernacular poetry, for sure, but very good vernacular poetry.

[-Talbot-]

Does nothing for me.

[gness]

And there was me thinking you had a heart, Talbot..... :-(

[-Talbot-]

Not sure how me not liking the poem means I haven't got a heart but I've read stranger things here on AB.

shrieks
creaks
week
nautique?
toast
post
coast
most

All too much for me.

[gness]

Okay....you have a heart......stone though it is not to be touched by this poem...... ;-)

[hc4361]

I've seen the ad on tv a few times. I think he's great

[tonyav]

Just watched your link twice, Dave. Excellent.

[Mamyalynne]

Some people just don't click with him , wouldn't do if we were all alike in our tastes.

[tonyav]

I seem to remember him from a long time ago.

[sunny-dave]

Not that long ago Tony - still wonderful ... :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzU2FHmNolA