LETTER: A lockdown ode to Bilston

“An Ode to Bilston” during the Covid crisis of 2020

What can you say about Bilston?

There isn’t a better place,

To grab your bargains, meet your friends,

Brings a certain smile to the face.

Bilston folk are friendly,

Bilston folk are grand,

You won’t find anywhere half as good,

Across our black country land

But what the hell has been going on?

What’s been the state of play?

No one about, the shops have been shut

And we’ve been staying at home all day

There’s been a lockdown!

The craving for a pint with friends,

When the high street hostelries have been shut,

Is enough to make a grown woman cry,

And chuck herself in the cut.

Can’t get a fix of the beautiful game,

Watching The Steelmen or Wolves at play,

It’s a kick about in your own back yard,

Till the grass has all worn away.

Swimming’s gone out of the window,

You can’t do your lengths up and down,

It’s a quick walk instead, around Hickman Park,

To keep the ever-growing weight right down.

Can’t go headbanging at the Robin 2,

Or follow Canis, our local rock band,

I’m sitting instead with the headphones on,

Belting out “Sham 69 and The Damned!”

For those of us fortunate to work from home,

Great, there’s chocolate and tea on tap!

Just that you must resist, after your afternoon break,

Not to nod off and have a nap!

So, as we stare through our windows, our view to the world,

Through our largest windowpane,

We’ll reflect on the strange, and, surrealist of times,

Till we all meet up SAFE, in Bilston again!

Julia Farrell, Bilston