Resident

The faded Help for Heroes sticker

in the rear window of his well worn

twenty year old Fiesta speaks volumes,

which is what it's meant to do.

 

No way of telling if he's the hero even

though he's elderly and walks with a limp

or if the sticker came with the car he uses

a few minutes every day to collect his paper.

 

He has a handy battery charger which

the woman on the second floor relies on

when her old Skoda refuses to start because

she doesn't take it out often enough.

 

The woman from the first floor hardly ever uses

her well preserved Focus except to go to Tesco's

once a week and she takes the Help for

Heroes man to do his little bits of shopping.

 

It is first come first served in the car park

but somehow she always gets her place back,

even when it's time for the M.O.T. and

the nice mechanic returns it, nicely washed.

 

Sadly, the other day, the Help for Heroes

man didn't get his usual parking space

after collecting his paper, and another

driver hit the corner of his bumper.

 

The rear lights cover has been missing

for two weeks and hasn't been replaced;

the bumper is detached at one end but the

Help for Heroes man still goes for his paper.

 

Perhaps the car he's had for so long is

like an extension of his body, bits damaged

or coming loose, but hanging on, like so

many residents, from one day to the next.

                              *

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

life will damage us, but we duct tape ourselves back together and limp on.
I love this poem...because it shows people doing for others without expecting anything in return...just being kind and considerate to one another (except for the idiot who hit and ran) showing that actions speak much louder than words...or even the bumper stickers with those words on them.
j.

[Gerald Parker]

Thanks for your kind words, Jacob. Much appreciated.

[Eilis]

There is a man in my neighborhood whose back is so stooped he can no longer stand up straight. But every morning he walks to his mailbox using trees and bushes as an intricate support system. The first time I saw him, I thought I ought to stop and help him, because he was reaching up to hold on to a branch as though it was the only thing keeping him off the ground. But, I soon discovered this was just his daily routine.

Your poem made me think of this. And then it made me realize how many other such instances, like the one set by your Hope for Heroes fellow in this poem, I have encountered over the years. I have a kind of sympathy for people who look forward to the small daily things that feel productive, because I've been in that place. Stuck at home with no real direction or company and looking forward to anything that felt like something that needed to be done. This poem kind of took me back to that period in my life.

But of course this is different. The winding down. You paint this stage so well, Gerald. The cast of characters are offered up in a kind of frail gracefulness, with the quirks and dailiness of them being something to observe and intone--lending a dignity to lives that may be overlooked on the grander scale.

I'm certain there are some nuances I'm leaving out, but, as a portrait of a group of neighbors alone, this poem has merits. It has emotional appeal, but also the clear-eyed approach and straightforward language make it almost like a conversation. I thought that was a strong quality of the work. Always enjoy your poems.

[Gerald Parker]

My wife and I live in a house in a retirement village. We are the fortunate ones, having three bedrooms and a large garden. Most of the other residents live in pokey one bedroom flats. Some of the residents are quite poor, not having been able to save for pensions, they rely on the meager state provision. I often wonder how they manage to get through the day. I'm sure a lot of them only have the TV for company.

This poem was an interesting write, forming almost without deliberate direction into self-contained stanzas, each one a complete sentence. It's almost as though I'm unconsciously moving away from metaphor and use of language of several years ago. Many thanks for another thoughtful review, Eilis, always a pleasure to read.

[Eilis]

Yes, I know the kind of circumstances you mean. It’s sad to see people with such meager incomes.

You’re welcome, Gerald. I enjoy reading your poems.