[Sylvia Fairley]

FIRST TIME IN THE COUNTRY.

‘What is that smell?’ I asked a man who knew,
‘The rustic odour of the countryside?’
‘Eh, that’s the frackin’ fellows’ toxic brew;
ammonium chloride an’ formaldehyde.’

I sighed ‘Let’s walk along the beach, admire
the view – so what’s that murky silhouette?’
‘Tis Sizewell B; folks tell us nuclear power
is safe – it ain’t become Chernobyl yet!’

‘Is that a bulldozer I see? And there
are more, they’ve flattened every tree...’
‘For motorways – and yonder meadow's where
the Theme Park’s planned, the site marked O.N.B.’

‘And why no flowers? The grassy banks are brown.’
‘Them chemicals - they spray the crops with deet
and then....’ ‘Enough!’ I cried, ‘I’m off to town,
the country's hell, I'll beat a quick retreat!'