evening lights
December 22, 2012
A ‘ dark’ post but appropriate for the time of the year. Early evening in the Old Town High Street shows glistening puddles - it’s drizzling yet again, so very few folks out and about . . . but quintessentially British.
At Schmizu, the window and the shop inside, look stylish – as always – beautiful display and the shop’s still open . . .
. . . equally creative are the windows of Bells. Many buildings – houses and shops – have discreet festive lighting – just visible. Curtains are left open at Christmas time, to allow the outer world to enjoy what is happening within . . .
. . some shop windows are all about window shopping – dresses – yes, possibly . . .
. . . and such fragile memories from childhood show in the double frontage display of Hendy’s Home Store.
Pretty swags across George Street . . .
and smaller swags in the windows of Skylon in Norman Road
In the windows of Wayward, it’s a complete composition with intriguing details of ribbons and of carefully selected ornament . . .
. . this lighting on the Marina building, however, stays with me night after night. Am very fond of this facade. Other posts on festive are here and here.
The poems take exception to the rain.
They complain of their ankle-joints,
their elbows.
They reserve the right
not to be relied upon.
They put on weight.
They hoard their sleep
like currency –
not a crumb or a word
let slip, not a coin
in the collecting-plate.
Under the Christmas tree they lie
Immobile, with their travellers’ eyes.
When the day drowns them out
they look to the merciful night.
Night that takes the form of a train
crossing a forest.
shaking snow-pillows
from the silent branches. Jo Shapcott December 4
December 22, 2012 at 22:37
Love the intimate shots of twinkling trees through the windows. Glowing bloated Santa quite scary/funny!
December 22, 2012 at 23:56
Glowing bloated Santa is in the window of the old pub, Admiral Benbow, home and work place of Philip Oakley the lighting designer. Always makes me smile. Ho ho ho!
December 22, 2012 at 23:15
Reblogged this on British Heritage Society.
December 23, 2012 at 09:20
Is wayward the new place in the high street? Looks interesting. And where are the frocks?
December 23, 2012 at 13:14
Wayward is Andrew thingy in Norman Road – of the can’t switch the basement light off – and black frock is Bramwell Cole in N Road and the other the 2nd hand shop near Brays. Belle Epoque is the new shop in High Street but haven’t found it open yet so that makes it tantalizing – an unusual marketing technique!.
December 23, 2012 at 11:28
Lovely festive post!
Why is England lass crass than the US…..hm a rather silly question really.
Anyway, I enjoyed my glimpse of damp Blighty.
December 23, 2012 at 13:11
Well, as you know, we are very apologetic – low self esteem perhaps or just too stitched up!
December 28, 2012 at 14:43
Well I was surprised to see colored lights on that one tree–a big no no in the waspy (English) towns of stodgy NEW England. Thanks so much for the digital window-shopping, Julia; I hope your holidays have been just as festive as this post.
December 31, 2012 at 20:48
Reblogged this on lifelovelanguage and commented:
I love Shapcott’s poetry and I love your blog! Thank you.