Large Flat Screen

In a small room my father’s hobby

was building a little telly out of tubes, transformers and wood

- for big magic. True, there were times

when the screen went foggy or snowy

and I turned away to look at green trees, whizzing clouds,

or went outside to swing a swing.

But what fascination with black and white

images of men in grey studios and posh voices:

Bill and Ben, Andy Pandy - crazy stories and obvious string.

Adventure unfolds with the Famous Five;

Blue Peter kick-starts the BBC habit of putting

‘One I made earlier’ into the can.

Dad would climb the loft and shout

to Mum to shout to me about image

as he manipulates the aerial, turns it around.

Now everything is bigger: Attenborough and The Blue Planet,

mating snails and rain forest - fast-forward.

I keep on breathing; heartfelt reality.