|
THE ODEON CINEMA, JUSTICE MILL LANE, ABERDEEN:
1932-2001
Here, trodden tabbies,splats o seagull keech,
Pattern the grun, far Arctic breezes wheech
Bi tenements, far doos convene in pairties,
Tae keek at the Art Deco o the Thirties.
Setterday mornin magnet, post-war boomers,
Bairns matinee...white socks and navy bloomers,
Douce quines frae Broomhill, Hardgate, Ferryhill,
(Weel shod in leather sheen frae Watt an Milne)
Jyned loons frae doon the toon. A gallus crew
We tradit insults, staunin in the queue
Wi lugs, nebs, chikks an hauns turned icey-blue,
Gaberdines buckled ticht in expectation,
Wi sighs an cat-calls o exasperation.
Sic rinny snoots, jug-lugs, an scabby knees!
A puckle pence bocht cowboy fantasies,
As quines wi flashies showed us far tae sit
Led on like miners doon a tarry pit.
Nae Roman in his thrillin amphitheatre
Enjoyed an entertainment ony sweeter!
Tomato sauce congealed insteid o bluid,
Yet still we grat fin peintit Indians deed.
A warld o black an fite, a simple code.
Villains war coorse, war booed, an overload
O raw emotion. Ye cud skirl and cheer,
Heroes war gweed. Each baddie raised a jeer.
Nae back seat fummlers undercover lust,
Spylt the hoorays fin King Kong bit the dust,
Tore soon the tinsel stars o makkie-on,
Set there bi Hollywod fur littlin's fun.
An fin ootbye, the clouds war gray and teemin,
Inbye we'd dry like kettles hett and steamin.
On stage, the screen's great lirkit curtain rose,
In ripplin silk, like can-can dancer's bows.
Wi oos an aahs, we aa grew quate an chawed
Oor sherbert dabs, while pirates puffed an blawed.
Unseen projectionist in his wee room,
Shot film frae camera-gun, across the gloom.
Fired pictur efter pictur on the screen,
Spacemen an giant squids in Aiberdeen!
A rinnin ream o dreams in waves o licht,
Poored ower wir heids, an gript us we delicht,
While usherettes selt ices cauld an sweet,
Could melt the steeny hairt o Union Street.
Peroxide quines wi lips as reid as rasps,
Wi corrugated perms an waists like wasps
War saved frae monsters. Foo we'd stamp an scream
Afore we rose an sang, 'God Save the Queen!'
An shuffled oot, een-dazzlit tae the sun
A magic palace thon, the Odeon!
Sheena Blackhall
[To view the image in more detail, please click on its thumbnail.]
|
