I am the North in Northern Soul
This weekend marked Northern Soul‘s second birthday. To commemorate the occasion, Northern Soul‘s Poetry Correspondent Wendy Pratt has written this poem.
Northern Soul
I’m the dull, soot-scarred smoke stacks,
a cobble, felt through a cheap plimsoll.
I’m Friday’s fish and chips, I’m the bacon fat
your mam used to fry with. I‘m the biting cold
of a South Shields wind. I’m kids playing out
on Coronation Street. I’m Ted Hughes tackling
Hardcastle Crags, a game of tag, a pint of stout.
I’m Life on Mars, Brideshead Revisited, I’m Cathy,
I’m Heathcliff, I’m all the Brontë sisters. I’m cold cuts,
I’m Kes. I am the miners’ strike. I’m hard work,
I’m Hillsborough. I’m Eyup! I’m not making a fuss,
I’m the one who won’t shut up. I’m mosques, I’m churches,
I’m hard as nails, no messing about, I’m heart of gold.
I’m moorland-industrial. I am the North in Northern Soul.
Editor's Picks
Advertising and Sponsorship Opportunities
Is your organisation interested in supporting quality journalism about culture, life and enterprise in the North of England?
For advertising and sponsorship opportunities contact Northern Soul’s Founder and Editor Helen Hugent at helennugent@northernsoul.me.uk.
Sign up for Northern Soul newsletter
The Northern Soul Poll

Recent Tweets for @Northern_Soul_
It's National Fish & Chip Day and we wish we were at Trenchers at Whitley Bay's Spanish City instead of at our desk...this place looks amazing! #nationalfishandchipday 🐟🐠🐡 pic.twitter.com/g0WARClJta
Bits in Books: We love second-hand books, those treasures with inscriptions from previous owners, hidden postcards, school certificates, lost keepsakes. This is from @AlfredSearls #BitsInBooks pic.twitter.com/Qifhj6wxQH
Bits in Books: We love second-hand books, those treasures with inscriptions from previous owners, hidden postcards, school certificates, lost keepsakes. This is from one of our readers (apologies - we can't find your details - let us know who you are!) #BitsInBooks pic.twitter.com/bLHvvDeVA1
Tynemouth - one of our favourite places. twitter.com/jollybeggars/s…
0 comments