Candy floss and tea,

the last Dog Day of August barks

and fun before school

and Christmas adverts

come along and spoil the thought

of forever sunshine in towns like Southport.

Candy floss and cooling tea, still stirred

and gossiped over as children swarm

and take photographs of the mirror image

in the Hall of Mirrors

whilst seagulls above squawk, keeping an eye

on congealing chips and left

over baited breath fish and pie crust.

Candy floss and final dregs of summer tea,

September days out limited,

no time to spare, October winds chill

and park November’s frumpy backside

down in fireplace gaze, no candy floss,

sticky and sickly, inedible,

but loved in last day of August’s dream.

Ian D. Hall 2017