Zietgist: My 1960s Liz Walsh

Kaftans, mini-skirts, Carnaby Street fashions.

Angel Delight, Hirondelle wine and that sheepskin rug.

"The price of round steak on a Saturday" while

Magdalen Laundries kept dark, dark secrets!

Nylon socks, Cuban heeled boots, body odour -

"It's always the girl's fault - she led him on!-

Button-down collars, Civil Rights Marches,

Suspender belts old fashioned, false eye-lashes black -

Excitement, tights, "parents afraid of the new".

Stilletto heels crucifying, Rosary beads grumbling -

"Oh Sacred Heart of Jesus I place all my trust in thee"

Hamburgers, Fleetwood Mac, Anoraks - guilty! Remember

Archbishop McQuaid! Bishop Lucey challenging Father Good!

"Wimpey Take-away" - meet a fella - womans lib!

Vietnam War, Albert Hall and Wilson Pickett.

"Would you kiss a boy on the first date?

Drip dry nylon, Dickie Rock gyrating

"Plastics are the future” the graduate said.

"Would you take the pill?"

Tayto crisps - "cheese and onion" munching in the dark.

Che Guevara, Mao Tse Tung and that little red book

in an empire line dress.

Church domination, contraception and major cigarettes

"Back-combing" Vesta Curries and a packet of smash

Maxi, mini, midi-dresses - pan-stick

Mary Quant, Twiggy and the Film Society party.

Flirting innocently, terrified hope - guilt ridden thoughts.

Surges of males, females standing

Eyes scanning, high pitched laughing

"Would you like to dance?"

Free love, flower power, heart thumping

Expensive shoes, a relic of St. Imelda and a chain-store dress -

"She will only get married” Her Auntie Lizzie said!

Afraid of the future, afraid of corruption

Brain exploding – All Mixed Up!

(c) Liz Walsh February 2012

My poem Zeigest (My 1960s) refers to my time in UCC where I studied Commerce.  I took an active part in the Womens' Liberation Movement in the latter half of the 1960s when the world as I knew it was changing radically.  I loved the buzz of all of that but was very unsure of myself also. Today I work mostly as a visual artist and am relatively new to writing.  I am married to David and have two adult children.  I have retired as a Secondary school teacher and thoroughly enjoying my retirement.

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