Anyone who has ever belonged to a writing group will recognise every line of this month’s poem. The scramble for a parking space, the scramble for a decent chair, the cake, the wine, the reader who goes too fast, and the small sulk when someone takes your seat. It is credited in print as ©TB @magentapink22.
The Writers’ Summer Party at Bernard’s House
Writers arrive early, vying for spaces
the road is quite full, few parking places
it’s even worse when it comes to the seats
each bottom seeks comfort, we’re balancing sweets
Nora comes bearing raspberry roulade
Sonia’s complaining her chair is too hard
Pimm’s allows Annie to launch into a lecture
contradicts Bob her lesson, conjecture
late blossom in pink to an apple tree clings
we take refuge in Rosé, while Caroline sings
Kevin reads quickly and has to repeat
Nora is sulking Annie’s pinched her seat
her ode is to summer but mentions grenades
Sylvia’s pretending her wine’s lemonade
the bottle, Prosecco, passed round is now empty
Bernard counts heads and declares that there’s plenty
we’ve shared strawberries, cream, cheesecake that’s a splat
Daniel takes photos of Bernard’s black cat
he omits to tell everyone that back in the house
he noticed, in passing, the remains of a mouse
the bottles are empty, strong tea will revive
do writers worry that they shouldn’t drive?
We’ve had the best time though none can remember
the date that we all start back in September.
©TB @magentapink22
This article first appeared in the September 2026 issue of Cranleigh Magazine. Pick up your free copy around the village, or read more at cranleighmagazine.co.uk.
