It's A Passing Fashion (Carol J Forrester)

Like Parisian lemon peels,

literal cast-offs in a gutter,

a pack of rats scampering cobbles

citrus on their breath.

Small feet, and yellow rind,

the clink of toasts to our health.

Every gardener in the city, sweating

hands thick with soil, the weight of fruit

gold in their palms.

And they say those in glass houses

shouldn’t throw stones

but mention nothing of pips

sharp with juice.

Shadows do not grow in this yellow sun,

they shrink and shrivel, slink around the periphery

to darken other doors.

This fad becomes the opposite of a plague.

Salvation in every bitter mouthful.

(Inspired by the 17th century Parisian fashion for lemonade as a potential flea deterrent on rats)

Meet the Poet!

Carol J Forrester Carol J Forrester is a UK poet, inspired by history, myth, and folklore. She has published two collections, performs regularly at poetry events in the UK, and has had individual poems published in various journals. You can find more of her work on her Instagram.

You can find her book, Stone Tongued, on Amazon at https://amzn.eu/d/iZe2hqm

Featured Photo by Caroline Attwood on Unsplash