" title="Painted, spoken Graham Fulton
Ballet Rage
In the Theatre Royal Dress Circle bar
vultures are getting tetchy
as they try to order G & Ts,
dry white wines and Lite-sized beers.
Throats are on fire, women waggle
programmes like fans. Booze is required.
The men who want to be anywhere else
elbow their ground, splash their cash,
aspire to ching the elusive till,
compete to impress their lifelong mates.
The barely-out-of-his-eggshell barman,
urgently unconcerned with making
overly-priced pre-tutu refreshments,
holds up £20 notes to the light.
The Bolshoi workrate is not for him.
All he desires is counterfeit Queens,
counterfeit sweat, watching the thin
sophistication facade peel back.
Down in the Swan Lake orchestra pit
the bloke with the lonely triangle slowly
stares into space, prepares his ping.
Feathers are preened, the last bell rings.
The birds are on fire, the heating's on full.
Culture's an effort. Pain is required.
Page(s) 7
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