I drove through the claustrophobic tunnel
of endless, soulless terraced houses,
past the recently awakened windows,
while old folk shivered, waiting for buses
or scoured racks of second hand clothes
in the warmth of cluttered charity shops.
I soon approached the land of learning.
Plungington road was ending, becoming
student strewn, traffic calmed Adelphi Street.

I glanced up to the right, there it was,
white wings feathering in the breeze,
a seraphim sent to give protection,
a vibrant vision against a leafless tree
and a leaden, lacklustre, lifeless sky.
With arms outstretched, slightly raised,
like Jesus on the cross it hovered,
celestial serenity for all to see,
but no one else noticed the angel.

Students staggering back from clubbing,
students strolling hand in hand,
students scurrying, late for lectures,
students steeped in the worship of celebrity,
none of them able to recognise an angel.
Sadly these sophisticates could only see
a sheet of white polythene caught in a tree.
Even sadder, I fear if I dare look again
that is what the angel will have become.

Click on the above 'audio link' to listen to the poem.

How does 'Tell me a poem' work?

• Send your poems and audio files (.mp3) to leponline@googlemail.com, subject: Tell me a poem


• Read and listen to a new poem every day in this section


• Vote for your favourite poem of the week, every Friday - see the voting form above right (voting closes the following Wednesday).


• Winning poems will be published in print in the Lancashire Evening Post's Out and About supplement every Saturday.