Peter Jeffrey: ‘Indoor Pool’ and ‘Style Notes #5’

Indoor Pool

Like streamlined Esther Williams
Slipped into aquamarine,
Or spurious turquoise water
In Million Dollar Mermaid
Or Metro’s Neptune’s Daughter,
You slip into the oiled-silk sapphire
And chlorine.

Hockney loops of brightness
Moving on the blue-tiled bowl,
Put you in mind of Moses Herzog
Musing on his soul,
And nets of gold reflections
Webbing the sandy bottom,
From the ferry at Woods Hole.

Peter Jeffrey

Style Notes #5

Just trying to identify some things that look like crap,
Like sunglasses pushed onto your hair; the backwards baseball cap.
And please don’t hang your glasses from a chain,
You’ll come off like the vicar or a quaint Dickensian gent,
Or, even worse, your maiden auntie Jane.
What shoes to wear and when can also be a minefield,
Like, do you really want to be another Seinfield?
I meant Seinfeld. Sneakers might have been all right for him,
But you should play it safe and only wear them to the gym.
And for Pete’s sake, gentlemen, go easy with the…