THE BANDSTAND
Beside the city’s river is a bandstand –
Victorian, octagonal in shape,
with eight delicate wrought iron columns –
redolent of summer Sunday afternoons,
and the poignant breathiness of brass bands.
Since the pandemic it has been silent,
and empty except for an occasional
escaped toddler pattering across its floor,
their brief glee echoing from its roof.
Someone is sleeping rough in the bandstand
in a red sleeping bag. Though it is late
morning he or she still seems asleep.
Probably the last they heard of the night,
before they slept, was the river’s soft passing.
Perhaps the distant siren is not for them.
Mike Rogerson
March 27, 2026I remember the bandstand well. Summer’s a long ago with parents and grandparents. Grandad loved to hire a motorboat, walk in the park looking at the dahlias and listen to the band; with ice-cream of course! You have triggered some very fond memories through this poem.
David Alexander
March 27, 2026Next time I am in Bath or Trowbridge with my nine year old grandson, and should we pass by a bandstand, I’ll ask him whether he knows what it is!
Ian Craine
March 27, 2026Well, well, well. After the last poem I thought I had said quite enough for one morning. But I can’t let this one pass. I will be spending this weekend putting the final touches to the index of a forthcoming book on the history of brass bands. It’s a really interesting read about all the amateur bands that sprang up particularly in the north in the mid 19th century with quite a large section on the Salvation Army. Bandstands get their own sub-chapter.
I guess all trades and vocations carry their necessary secrets. In my last profession (the law, for those who don’t know me) I obviously could not divulge the business being conducted for my clients, or even that I was acting for them. So here I am not supposed to give out pre-publication details so for the moment there will be no details of title, author or publisher but once it’s submitted (and paid for – the supreme test of satisfactoriness) I can.
You and some others here might be interested in buying a copy. (I am not on commission!!)