Me, Liz McDonald and the Beetham Tower

By David Keyworth

Location: Sharp Street (off Rochdale Road), Ancoats

She was hiding from Derek’s wife,
Monday night’s Cora, balcony in Salford Quays,
breeze blowing her scarlet negligee.
In her background viewers could see
Manchester’s tallest tower penetrating blue.
Out of my window I could see it too.

Now me and Liz meet in its Cloud 23.
I buy her expensive white wine
and necklaces bearing LM.
She slips them over her plunging neckline.
She wears dark glasses. We keep our backs turned.
She points out the Rovers Return.

Back at my flat we look up at the Tower
with its winking red night-lights.
We guess which footballers might be home.
I put a match to her Benson & Hedges.
We look down at magpies
nesting in the derelict pub’s chimney.

When the builders have gone,
she joins me at the Juliet balcony.
Figures in the flats opposite
look like mute actors behind screens
until some point, some stare,
some signal, some wave.

David Keyworth is part of the Poetica group, which meets fortnightly at Central Library. He has been published in Manchester-based Rain Dog and other magazines. He has always watched Coronation Street but has only gotten to know Manchester in the last few years