Bristol Poem

A poem written by children and young people from schools all over Bristol about the city they live in, as part of our 2012 Bridges Project.

culture nightlife motion shopping music university shit weather park street The Louisiana hipsters happy sad joy rivers massive attack fatherhood

Bristol is not the centre of England
Bristol is winter

ecstatic distraught surprised embarrassed shocked drugs music scene art culture lush sunshine home outdoors drunk

Bristol is not smart or delightful
Bristol is wide awake

cider new flat cultures work entertainment city club bridge cars cyclists harbourside boats play safe work outdoors water fountain

Bristol is cold and wet
Bristol is shouting

drunk people streets lights homeless swell of moving water modern Victorian tunnels rocks core mud needles spraying pennies dogs

Bristol is trapped
Bristol is the heart

cans wraps shopping trollies guilt gold rivers cloud signs pubs jazz noise traffic people birds museum

Bristol is always night
Bristol is humid

boats cameras statues buildings feet walking trains schools jobs work home work hard history river raids

Bristol is a trip-hop symphony
Bristol is the sunset

good food variety support reading good eye rest more money fun more kids sunshine balance music Brunel Cabot

Bristol is dawn
Bristol is a vortex of lightning

play lots good food more and less sobriety stubbly beard stoned tall funny flirty workier pirate downs watershed

Bristol is the sound of a bottle being smashed
Bristol is monotone

good hugger cheeky giggly soft voice red big muscles man loving Good grades responsible understanding complicated young mums shopping centres rivers

Bristol is the feeling of being astronomically high
Bristol is a pair of rotting painted lungs

busy tired joggers caring smoker random anything chilling crying heart spice hippies

Bristol is toes
Bristol is indifferent

litter crusties colours tinted windows hill green fast cars dealers weed red stripe fried chicken puddles rain litter old market

Bristol is confused
Bristol is an eye

garden cider recycled ketamine ikea curry nightlife family murder gangster friendly neighbour wind shakes the canes mud covers the city

Bristol is an elbow
Bristol is a low drone

small nandos water driving train reliable steam coral pumps buses houses live The Bristol Sea

Bristol is not nothing
Bristol is a pair of hips

valley loud views tramps baby food umbilical chord music pigeons hills gangs seagulls placenta comes from the sea

Bristol is an early modern song
Bristol is not Britain

If this has inspired you to get creative, check out some of our latest ways to #GetInvolved including ‘What I Want to Be, What I Want to See’.