Fresh Bananas

Fresh Bananas

I have no religious belief. These two men do. They arrive on the edge of Loughbohemia Market sometime between 7.30am and 8, set up their leaflet stand and grab a takeaway coffee to help keep out the cold.

They are Jehovah's Witnesses and they would like to save my soul, yours too.

They don't shout out to people passing by like the fruit and veg sellers do. Quiet in their smart suits their leaflet stand does the talking: 'The Four Horsemen How Their Ride Affects You'

I know they mean well. I welcome them and all people with convictions within the law to our streets. Free speech is worth fighting for especially for those we don't agree with. Street preachers religious, political, social or economical add to the frisson of our streets.

twice round the market

a bag of fresh bananas

on an empty bench

Paul Conneally

May 2017

The Banana Links

excerpts from
the banana links
paul conneally

(i)

in some ways the haiku today resembles the potato

before blight brought famine to ireland

(ii)

edible haiku are sterile mutants

new varieties cannot easily be produced by natural methods

(iii)

a haiku a day prevents a deficiency

which might increase the risk of stroke

(iv)

haiku a substitute for sweets and satisfy sugar cravings

(v)

your hands can benefit from haiku as well

(vi)

each haiku wrapped in foil and sold for a dime

'the banana links' are a dadaesque experiment

to see how truths about haiku might reveal themselves

through the manipulation of texts on or about bananas

Paul Conneally

'Quality!' - Brian's Fruit and Veg Stall

Brian's Fruit and Veg Stall
Paul Conneally
Loughborough Market
January 31st 2015

Brian sells all manner of fruit and vegetables from his stall on Loughborough Market but he is most famous for his cry of 'Fresh bananas!' followed quickly by 'Quality!' Over and over again.

The market just wouldn't be the same without Brian's voice ringing out across the market and through the crowds of shoppers that throng Loughborough's vibrant market each Thursday and Saturday.

Yes, quality indeed!

cold cold fingers
the stall holder sips
his parsnip soup

Paul Conneally