Don't blame me - It's not my fault, it's theirs

that even the Rottweillers walk round in pairs.

 

When i first came to be here

in a suburb of Greater Manchester's City

near mills on a small piece of ground.

Seemed as though everyone wanted to know

all about the new kid in town.

 

Victoria, Holland and Ducie Mills

were the features, my friends,

but all good things must come to end.

They packed up; emigrated to warmer climes,

while i hung around, standing my ground.

 

As chemical warfare moved in, took over,

the timber merchant had to move out.

Gas yard survived, heating the houses

and the tempers' of families living

back to back, as densely packed

as the black grimness hovering over-head

 

and though the steam trains passing through

regularly shook me to the core.

I hung around, standing my ground,

an echo of life, beneath the most notable feature.

The blot on a most visual land-scape.

 

A century and more than seventy years

and i'm still here, but the ancient and modern

don't mingle and the neighbours left or died.

Not many come, just to visit me - Miles Platting,

but don't blame me! I didn't ask to be born.

It's not my fault. It's theirs,

that even the Rottweillers walk round in pairs.

   

 

 

 NB. Miles Platting is a small, densely populated area of Salford, Manchester. Sadly it deteriorated over the years and is currently under-going regeneration to encourage families and local businesses to help it flourish once more.

This was inspired by a chat with Writeoutloud regular Andy N and a little further research into the history of the area.