No Applause 1980 Poem by Terry Collett

It was the week before
you left her. That seaside
town you both used to
frequent 5 years before.

But it had lost its glamour,
lost the romantic mystery
it had back then. That day
you went through the motions,

ate at one of the restaurants
you used to go to years before;
sat on the beach watching
other lovers do what you

used to do, but didn't that day.
The sky was pale blue with
white clouds, and the sea did
what seas do, came in and went

out making that sucking noise
it does. You wanted her to say
something about the day, but
she didn't, she went through

the motions with you, like two
ham actors, knowing the scenes
and lines, but having no belief
anymore in the drama. At the

railway station she said about
having a photo taken together
as you used to do. So you went
into the photo booth together,

and sat, and the flashes came,
but this time, no giggles or
smiles, just you and her sitting
there, looking at the camera,

staring into a lost cause, in front
of no audience and no applause.