It’s Only Make Believe?

The little cinema was packed,

even if fictional, films about the locality were rare.

And later, in the bar there was much discussion.

The shots of the sheep blocking the road were appreciated.

Well, our sheep were famous for their techniques of blockade.

This was no fiction.

There was insider knowledge here!

It was the mass action that was shown. 

It brought the occupants out of their cars

to wave their arms and shout in angry frustration.

But the individual acts of defiance by escapees

were not shown.

This was considered regrettable.

It was felt the film should have acknowledged the action 

of a single ewe lying nonchalantly chewing 

on the tarmac while the cars stopped 

and drivers moved rapidly from

“awww cute sheep” to louder and more frantic hooting 

and then to arm waving and shouting outside,

There was no discrimination, after all.

Old cars, new cars, large cars, small,

the ewe would eyeball them all impassively.

Locals just drove round her.

But the main discussion centred on the two elderly sisters

who lived up the mountain.

They drove a very old car.

One of them had learned to drive in the War

and no one had thought to check if she still held a licence.

But, no matter,

she could still drive well enough

even though blind.

Her sister could see fine. 

And even though she could not drive

she was adept at giving instructions.

Well, it was only fiction!

Or was it?

The audience doubted it.

All could almost remember these women,

or similar ones.

More insider knowledge was suspected 

as they argued happily

about the identities of the eccentric drivers.

https://poetryandplaces.com/2021/02/15/its-only-make-believe-by-lynn-white/