Tuesday Poem: Accidental Extra

I know the two people on the right, but who is the woman with her back to me?

This poem is in response to a writing prompt on Roz Morris's blog.  I've always been fascinated by the fact that we appear in other people's photos and the photographer has no idea who we are!  For most of them we're just street furniture. A walk-on part - film extras.


The Accidental Extra

Someone is looking at me,
a long way away.
Someone I don't know.
I'm walking across the Campo d'Oro
in Siena, sitting in a Polish cathedral
in a large hat, paddling in the
foam on ninety mile beach.
I smile at them, from the flickering
images of a video shot,
japanese camera, i-phone, super 8
I have a long history of accidental appearances,
the cameo, the walk on part,
grinning like a goon, moon walking,
click, and I'm yours, one of the incognito
in the back shot, part of your life,
fixed on film, in your living room
just for you.

© Kathleen Jones

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