London by Kim Whysall-Hammond

London
by Kim Whysall-Hammond

Emerging from the Tube you clothe me
with dusty breath and ambient noise
I feel you living restlessly
lifeforce surging through centuries
pulsing through busy streets
I turn a corner and a garden churchyard
filled with lunchers and tourists
leads me to rest.
When leaving you I reach down
pet your raised questioning head
sooth and smooth your black silky fur
I have run from you but you still
prey upon my soul my heart.
your begging eyes always
bring my return

PHOTO: London Underground station, Piccadilly Circus, and statue of Anteros. Photo by London UK, used by permission.

NOTE: Piccadilly Circus is a road junction and public space of London’s West End in the City of Westminster. In this context, a circus, from the Latin word meaning “circle,” is a round open space at a street junction. The Circus is close to major shopping and entertainment areas in the West End, and a busy meeting place and a tourist attraction in its own right. Directly underneath the plaza is Piccadilly Circus Underground station, part of the London Underground system.

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: This is my love poem to my home town. I may be in exile in rural England, but I will always be a Londoner. I can’t visit at present, but will be back walking her streets and feeling her energy as soon as it is safe.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kim Whysall-Hammond is a Londoner living in a country town in Southern England. She has been published by Ink, Sweat and Tears, Amaryllis, Allegro, Fourth and Sycamore, The Blue Nib, London Grip, and Crannóg among others.  She has two poems, “Winter in Concrete” and “Glimpse,” in the anthology New Towns edited by Robert Francis,  published by Wild Pressed Books.  She shares poetry on her blog, thecheesesellerswife.wordpress.com.