Old Les is quite an amiable fellow a paid up member of the Poets Club <br />And on friday evening with a few strong ales in he recites his verses at the local pub <br />Though the pub patrons do not give him their attention they drink in groups and talk about football <br />And arts and literature do not interest them the World is ruled by rednecks after all. <br /> <br />Old Les worked in building sites in the city till he retired about eight years ago <br />And the past three years for him have been quite lonely since to cancer he lost his dear wife Jo, <br />His children and their children living elsewhere and Les now used to living on his own <br />But he still misses Jo and he talks of her often she was the dearest friend he had ever known. <br /> <br />Old grey haired Les is a likeable fellow and he's learned from life the years have made him wise <br />And when he smiles the gap in his teeth you notice and you can see the kindness in his light brown eyes <br />He takes a very keen interest in poetry and he writes very good old fashioned rhyme <br />But now he feels his efforts have been wasted that writing verse nowadays a waste of time. <br /> <br />On friday evenings from now on Les won't be reciting at the local he says my verses they don't wish to hear <br />Perhaps it is not the right place for poetry where fellows after work enjoy their beer <br />Their interest is in war and politics and football and things that happened through the working day <br />And they would never even wish to listen to what a wise old poet would have to say.<br /><br />Francis Duggan<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/old-les/
