Dulwich OnView

Hylda Sims was a great hit at the last poetry evening at Dulwich Picture Gallery. Many thanks to Hylda for allowing us to reproduce her work here.

Babies in Buggies by Hylda Sims

All down my road there are babies in buggies
six on the corner, their mothers are chatting
they fill up the pavement, the babies are sleeping
or grizzling or chucking their toys in the road

All down Northcross Road there are babies in buggies
parked outside the caff where their fathers are sitting
or they’re stood in the queue for the organic grocer’s
and keeping in touch with their feminine side

In the lane are two grannies with babies in buggies
anxious to cross when the green man lights up
while in Budgens two granddads with babies in buggies
are buying them comics and sweets and toy cars

All round there are people with babies in buggies
I’m not sure if they’re mummies or grannies or daddies
or granddads or sisters or brothers or snatchers
or someone’s long-suffering and ill-paid au pair

I love all these babies in buggies a-trundling
the pavements of Dulwich and I can’t help thinking
of all of the couplings not condommed or cautious
both loving and loveless, both randy and raucous

both long-planned and random these comings-together
black and black, white and white, black and white and all shades
that led to these blond, auburn, brown, black and straight-haired
and curly and almost bald babies in buggies

and I think of their future, these babies in buggies
enough food, enough sleep, enough space, enough play
enough dreams, enough peace, enough love, enough care
enough freedom and fun to be happy and kind

all fleetfoot and friendly and literate and lively
not too fat not too thin, not too dumb not too wise
not too shy not too wild, not too tall not too short
and what if they are: they’ll have friends and relations

who’ll love them regardless for just being themselves,
these babies in buggies, who’ll grow old, very old
feeling fitter than fiddles, and brighter than buttons
when they’re just ninety-five or a hundred-and-two

with no need for false gods or mad kings or fat profits
or dictators and bloodfeuds and wars of revenge
with fresh dreams and fresh air not polluted or poisoned
there’ll be wild flowers and hedges and songbirds and trees

The streets are alive with these babies in buggies
saying, ‘bye-bye’, and waving and wiggling their toes
I’m just off to fetch today’s paper myself:
there’ll be good news – and I am Marie of Romania

“Sayling the Babel” by Hylda Sims was published in 2006 by Hearing Eye and is available from www.hylda.co.uk or www.hearingeye.org
Hylda Sims hosts Fourth Friday at the Poetry Society cafe, Betterton Street, Covent Garden. More details via this link:
www.poetrysociety.org.uk/content/cafe/events/