Love Beyond the Shop
The poem continues its pattern of contrasting the speaker's romantic life with his struggling business. The customers' complaints repeat like a chorus "Hey Singh, ver yoo bin? Di milk is out ov date and di bread is alvays stale." This repetition emphasises how his personal happiness comes at the cost of professional responsibility.
The tone shifts dramatically in the final section as "Late in di midnight hour" the couple finally have time alone together. The language becomes more serene with "concrete-cool" and "whispering stairs" creating a calm atmosphere. They sit together on a "silver stool" behind the shop counter, staring "at di beaches ov di UK in di brightey moon" – another imaginative blend of their cultural worlds.
The poem concludes with a tender dialogue between the lovers that feels almost like a song. When his bride asks about costs, the speaker responds, "Is priceless baby" – showing he values their relationship above material concerns. This ending leaves readers with a sense that despite the chaos their romance causes, their connection is priceless.
Remember this! The poem's structure alternates between describing their marriage and customer complaints, while the ending slows down to emphasise intimacy and closeness – this structural shift mirrors the speaker's priorities.
The poem's form reinforces its content – with minimal punctuation, the lines flow freely just as the speaker flows between his dual identities. Though there's no regular rhyme scheme, occasional rhymes create a light-hearted, musical quality that reflects the joyful, rebellious spirit at the poem's heart.