An old friend has graciously allowed their collection of poetry and other reflections, inspired by their experiences growing up in our town, to be shared with us at Hello Oxford! Many will know their prose, but let’s agree to maintain their anonymity under the pseudonym Nom de Plume, Oxford’s unofficial Poet Laureate!
There will be no order to their appearance here. Some will be drawn from the past, some will be relevant to current events. But all are heartfelt and tell us another story of our hometown, among other journeys.
Tomcat Alley
Do you know how Tomcat Alley got it’s name? Jim Shenton said it first. He watched for years all those young punks with their slicked up hair and their best clothes strolling past his house in the sixties and early seventies from a dead-end street headed for town on a Friday night. Double Trouble if it was Exhibition time. Because that’s where they climbed over the fence. Marg just shook her head. I remember the night the ambulance took him away.
(2024-02-28)
Exhibition
I dreamt last
night I was
a Ferris wheel
out of control.
Rolling down to
Water and Main.
Only to fall apart
at the foot of
Walsh’s Apartments.
(2024-10-04)
The Smell of Bananas
I remember
sitting in
a cardboard
box in the
living room
driving it
like a car
after the
groceries
had been
delivered.
(2024-11-08)
