Poetry of Place was an experiment in sharing, gifting poems to shopkeepers in exchange for their stories...Ramsey’s

Wedged between G P Footwear and the Dental Surgery Set back in the shadows under the circular cross Behind the overspill of colour and dazzle You will find Ramsey’s shop Cornucopia of ladies fashion Shoes Handbags and Accessories Born out of West Brom clearance Been six years grafting Stretching a profit Out of lycra and cotton Cheaper than the exact same jeans You will find in River Island or H&M But people still like to haggle for A pound off here A fiver there

Ramsey is waiting Waiting for the people to return Waiting for Covid to subside Waiting for the coats to fly The joggers to shift gear Blouses to find a new lease of life So that the drive from Oldbury Six days a week Means more than just petrol in the tank Wasted hours

Asking him about the future Brings no sugar coating Of what needs to change More advertising please Less traffic down the road More foot-flow up this end Where Ramsey offers

Cheap and cheerful In all the colours of the rainbow His rails rally already Outside the shop Where he would like to see A revolution People stop to pass the time though To talk around it Time for a change One way or another Time for a change Sooner rather than later While Ramsey soldiers on Filling the street with colour The sun glinting off A nicely priced Must have