Her Horse Fair Hung, by Paul Brookes

The Horse Fair, by Rosa Bonheur (France), 1855.

Her Horse Fair Hung

curious large print in a gold frame
in Nanna's bungalow front room.

Massive muscled horse flesh
barely controlled by small men.

"Dad kept horses to pull his milk cart.
Not milk bottles then, son.

Silver churns collected from farms
he and me trotted down terrace streets.

Lasses would carry the milk home
in porcelain jugs and such.

He adored your mam. Fetched
a little pony and cart for her.

We went to horse fairs regular.
Milk business were inherited

by Uncle Jim when we moved
Into town from farm.

He modernised horses into a van.
Business didn't last long."

Paul Brookes
​
Paul Brookes has performed in poetry performance group "Rats for Love" and is included in their "Rats for Love: The Book" Bristol Broadsides, 1989. His first chapbook "The Fabulous Invention Of Barnsley" by Dearne Community Arts, 1993. He has read his work on BBC Radio Bristol and had a creative writing workshop for sixth formers broadcast on BBC Radio Five Live.