Postcode Pretence

Poem: Postcode Pretence

You say you’re from North London

You say Wood Green, the bit near the palace

You say Crouch End and Muswell Hill, also near the palace

Highgate as well is where you dwell?

It’s where ‘your mate’ Karl sleeps a very long sleep

He doesn’t say that much now-a-days, he doesn’t think like you

I’ve heard a long time ago he liked to ponder and wrote a thing or two

Hampstead – The Bishops Avenue!

That’s your main address you say

I do believe you are from North London but not at all in that way

You are no more from these places than I am from the moon or from Mars!

You’re the one who’s reaching high for those make-believe and far flung stars

 

 Review: Postcode Pretence

This sounds to me like a drunk fantasy dialogue between two senior men in a pub. That immediately is where my imagination has taken me with this.

One guy is being boastful about where he lives, in a multitude of residencies in North London? ( that certainly is evidence to me of ‘drunk talk’) North London is very broad and houses the posh, the poor and everything in between. I doubt it’s the words of a lost Lord who’s doing a solitary random pub crawl, but this is London, odd stuff goes on.

He probably wants to feel good about himself and he’s in luck as someone, (the poet, poor soul) is there to listen. I can’t say the same about those who are anywhere close by and have the misfortunate of hearing this nonsense. Is there anyone who would actually be inclined to want to listen to all or any of this? I have a theory: NO!

It appears the more drunk one of the gentleman becomes, the more extravagant he is with exactly where he wants to speak of with where he lives. Starting off with ‘humble’ Wood Green (ahem, and alas, not no more! Another story for another time) to then conclude with Hampstead, on a road that has been coined the ‘Billionaires row’ of the United Kingdom. He certainly takes it up a notch or two and wants to impress with announcing those specific areas of North London. I find it humorous that being  ‘near the palace’ is mentioned three times. Does it mean, he is near enough ‘royalty’ himself because he’s close enough to ‘the palace’ from three different locations? Oh how I’m laughing out loud at this!

Anyone who has been subjected to hearing any of this are either physically stuck or hadn’t been able to get out of the way in time. The poet doesn’t appear to want to respond in kind with the same boastful language. It appears that the poet is slightly more sober and attempts to shush up the nonsense spoken of his drinking chum.  He proceeds to put him in his place with the comeback of the geographical ridiculousness of his connection to the moon and planet mars!

Mentioning Karl Marx who ‘sleeps’ is an interesting cultural reference to make as Mr Marx who is a long term ‘resident’ of North London, yes,  in Highgate Cemetery. He was extremely ‘left leaning’ politically (to put it mildly)  and would never in a million years be the chum with the likes of this, ‘capitalist wanna-be/is being gent.’ When one is set in one’s ways, patterns have been established and are not likely to change. Patterns are potent and revealing. No need for a crystal ball I would say. Look at to what has happened before and therefore you’ll find what is likely to happen next. It’s not rocket science.

The poet is right to say that he ‘doesn’t think like you’ The poet is perhaps being ironic? Or making  the point of meeting somewhere in the middle? Neither gentlemen would ever agree to that! (PATTERNS REMEMBER, PATTERNS REMEMBER!)

I have enjoyed getting to know both characters via the North London observation of the poet and my own observation, as reader of the poem. As a Londoner, I have felt free to interpret and extend the meaning of the poem more broadly throughout London. It can be applied to other area’s within London to make it sound more ‘appealing’. For instance ‘Da’ je’ namm’  for Dagenham’s far East London Also St. Reatham, for South London’s Streatham! People have been known to ‘posh things up here and there right?. No harm done eh?

A great short observation made by the poet and reveals the snobbish nature of some who live in London and want to make it sound a lot more attractive than what it is. London is never boring and there are lots of veneered visual and audible material out there!  All serves to be inspiring for work to be produced by the poets and other artist and cultural observers. London is London. I wince, grimace  and smile warmly. An entertaining little read. It has great punch and panache.