Sunshine (Shipston On Stour) Poem by Andrew Fincham

The window
Welcomes
Heart of England
Judges to the
Blooms & overhead the
Bunting wraps in
Pendant circuses above the
Square and fat men pat themselves
& smoke outside the open bay and think
To say it looks like rain in every space between
Each freshly chilled late July gust

A fisherman
Walks by with
Stool and rod and beard
As long as any tale was told
& printed maid (with bag to match)
trip totters home on high hat heels

Outside
A hardware shop
The steel wheel barrow slopes
Its back against the drops to catch the sun

(which slips above the cloud
for half a moment’s
puzzled warmth
before it’s
gone)