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Poem

Aidan Murphy

On the Demolition of the Arcadia Ballroom

On the Demolition of the Arcadia Ballroom

On the Demolition of the Arcadia Ballroom

The ghosts of the waltzing revellers are no match
for the bankers’ bullies and their agents, so
shaking the dust from their Sunday best
they stagger from the ruins and wander
in pairs towards Kent Station.
Some head south and some head north.
A couple float Chagall-like
over the abandoned mills.
The rest drift into the city-centre
and foxtrot in the hollow shopping malls,
or take their shoes off and recline
on the steps of the Capitol Cineplex –
all their spirits fading into summer’s end.
Close

On the Demolition of the Arcadia Ballroom

The ghosts of the waltzing revellers are no match
for the bankers’ bullies and their agents, so
shaking the dust from their Sunday best
they stagger from the ruins and wander
in pairs towards Kent Station.
Some head south and some head north.
A couple float Chagall-like
over the abandoned mills.
The rest drift into the city-centre
and foxtrot in the hollow shopping malls,
or take their shoes off and recline
on the steps of the Capitol Cineplex –
all their spirits fading into summer’s end.

On the Demolition of the Arcadia Ballroom

Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère