Penpal from Nouveau Witch by Jack Blenkinsopp

Years ago I had a pen-pal
I think about him now and then
Shall I tell you about the pen-pal?
It won't take me long

We would write these formal letters
As the time passed they got better
Endless evenings chewing biros
With the big light on
Read them closely until I know
What's been going on

Every weekend I'd write to him
I'd pretend I really knew him
There were fires in the mountains
I breathed different air
I'd look at the envelope
For signs of over there

Tiny things would seem unusual
Misspellings and curlicues all
Added up to paint a picture
Conjured somewhere else
As I wrote my days I'd picture
I from somewhere else

I would dream of jagged ranges
Knowing looks in crowds of strangers
I could see past lines beyond which
I could never go
But it has been far too long since
I received his correspondence

Normally I wouldn't worry
He'd miss a week and then say sorry
But this time there was no letter
Nothing ever came
Looked for news or clues but never
Found trace of that name

Do you think that something happened?
Do you think that something happened?
Do you think that something happened?
Do you think that something happened?

All these years I've got no further
All those letters, all those words are
Bouncing off the clouds between us
Bouncing off the clouds
Bouncing off the clouds between us
Bouncing off the clouds

Bouncing off the clouds
Bouncing off the clouds
Bouncing off the clouds

• Pop
• Newcastle Upon Tyne