Poems to share
Howling of the Hullhounds
by Jodie Langford
Ey-
Y’know
We’ve got that drink you under the table culture
In a local pub full of well-known strangers
Viewed as a second-hand society
But we’re not hand-me-down Hull faces
There’s an oddity in the ‘Old Town’
Where sea shanties ease you into the early mornin’
Unless you’re out dancin’ till dawn- then
There’s a bongo fella perched outside the club
Up for a boogie and a pre-takeaway warmin’
‘Cos everyone’s up for a laugh
When you’re classed as the underdog
Sometimes it’s fun to throw the bone back
Work as a pack
Gi’s a croggy to station, I’ll pay for your tab
Play ‘Block’ ‘round the tenfoot till you hear the ice-cream van
Shout “Mam, gi’s 80p for a cone, promise soon I’ll come home”
Then lark out till she’s gone chuffin’ mad
Once you inhale that Northern Nicotine
You’ve got yourself trapped
There’s a burning ambition ablaze
The inferno spits and snaps
Ger’ya sen down to the gig you’ve been too scared to show up at
And hear your brothers and sisters sing to the city of abstracts.
© Jodie Langford

Jodie Langford
Jodie Langford is a young Hull-based poet who began writing and performing as part of Arts Celebrating Equality at The Warren Youth Centre in 2016. Although she stumbled into the world of poetry “by accident”, she has since become one of the most distinctive voices in Hull’s burgeoning youth spoken word scene. She has performed at BBC Contains Strong Language festival, and her work has been featured on the BBC Arts and British Council website.She has appeared also at the Freedom Festival, at Canary Wharf and Langham Hotel with UK Youth, the Hull Trinity Festival, 53 Degrees North, British Science Festival, Project Twist-It, and opened up for the rising punk band ‘Life’ and also The (Bootleg) Beatles.