Cedric Murcott
To My Inconsistent Gas Fitter
with due acknowledgement to Andrew Marvell -To His Coy Mistress
(and apologies to all gas fitters!)
Had I but warmth enough, and time
And energy to dare to climb
Into my loft, and try to lay
My healing hands, in some strange way,
On my central heating system –
Or plug the hole in my cistern!
I'd have no need to stem the flood
If only my gas fitter could
Fulfil his promises, and use
His skill and influence, and fuse
Action and performance to show
That leaks can shrink as well as grow!
The urgent propaganda says:
A service contract always pays!
A standing order is the best.
When things go wrong, we'll do the rest.
We'll work quite hard to fit the part.
If it's in stock we'll try to start
Next Wednesday or some such date –
Or soon after, at any rate.
But at my back I always hear
The constant dripping in my ear,
And yonder all before us lie
Vast pools of water rising high.
Page(s) 48
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