Two Sides of a Flyover is a poetic response to archival material, oral histories and site visits around the Gateshead Flyover demolished in 2026.
Playground
This poem was inspired by an oral history interview conducted as part of my research into the Flyover.
Before the flyover, We had a big playing field.
We could frolic on all day and night.
Then came the flyover, Me mam was on telly.
She said, 'we can't even hang the washing out!'
Opening the backdoor, You could see the foundations."
It was literally a building site.
You wouldn't get away with that nowadays.
But to us kids, It was a big adventure really.
A great climbing frame.
I've got photos somewhere...