Victoria Laxton-Bass
 

The poster girl for The BARDAID Initiative.

 Vikki's first exposure to the world of performance poetry was in 2010 when a work colleague persuaded her to go along to a RRRANTS poetry night at The Camden Eye in Camden Town. Mesmerised from the first moment, she and her friend Emma immediately volunteered their services as roadies for The Collective, which gave Vikki the chance to get closer to some of the bigger names on the circuit and to watch and learn from the very best of them. For the rest of the year the girls could be found at every RRRANTS gig; Vikki most often with The Antipoet's double bass strapped to her back, absorbing every aspect of her new world, including manning the merchandise table where she often bought more books than she sold.
 
 In January 2011, again at The Camden Eye, she suddenly announced ten minutes before the start of the show that she would like to sign up for an open mic' slot. Concerned that they might have to carry their own gear back to the van if they refused, she was duly added to the list and so her career as a poet began.
 
 That first night was reviewed by songwriting legend Helen McCookerybook for her daily blog and Vikki's very first words on a stage were broadcast later that week on RRRANTS' MyWordRadio show.
 

Within a fortnight she had also had a poem commissioned for the first BARDAID anthology book and had won the prestigious 'Performer Of The Night' award at Milton Keynes' 'Poetry Kapow!', beating many of the performers that she had spent the past year studying and humping gear for.
 
 She has since performed at South London's 'Bang Said The Gun' and Julie Mullen's 'Word Cafe' and has supported Pete The Temp, Steve Larkin, Helen McCookerybook and the boys that she still insists on roadieing for, The Antipoet.
 
 Vikki has also been accepted onto The Bardaid Coaching Programme under the tutelage of Paul Eccentric.
 
 She is managed by Donna Daniels-Moss and can be contacted at donna@rrrants.com

Dropped Like A Hot Potato!

Dropped like a hot potato,

Didn’t know our friendship was a game,

But who’s to blame?

‘Coz I feel lame!

Is it you?

Is it me?

Is it him?

Maybe it’s me!

Did I get too close?

Did I dig too deep?

Was our friendship becoming something you’d never wanted it to be?

Dropped like a hot potato,

Didn’t know our friendship was a game,

But who’s to blame?

‘Coz I feel lame!

Maybe it’s him?

He swooped in and took you away

To where I couldn’t reach,

He held you tight,

Through the night

Kissed you tenderly!

Dropped like a hot potato,

Didn’t know our friendship was a game,

But who’s to blame?

‘Coz I feel lame!

Maybe it’s you who’s to blame.

You let him take you and change your life.

All of a sudden you don’t text as much.

Is that due to his jealousy and controlling touch?

He’s changed our friendship,

Made you distant,

Something’s not quite right.

I can feel it inside!

I wasn’t prepared for when you,

Dropped me like a hot potato,

Didn’t know our friendship was a game,

But who’s to blame?

‘Coz I feel lame!

Maybe I’ll never know!

But time has passed and weeks have gone,

Now I’m here standing strong,

I’ve picked myself up and I’ve moved on.

I see you now

Across a room

I steal a glance at you.

You catch my eyes and pull me in.

Now there’s only you I see.

You’re in front of me now,

You smile that smile that I used to miss.

“How are you?” you say.

Your voice hasn’t changed,

I suddenly remember it is similar to a sound I used to hear.

Small talk continues for a while,

Then you smile that same smile.

I smile back and can’t help but ask.

“How is he by the way?”

The boy who stole her away

Your smile fades.

He had dumped you, the previous day.

“I’m sorry” I say,

With a delicate frown

I never liked seeing you unhappy.

We stand for a moment....

But now I gotta go,

Plans tomorrow!

I walk away,

With my head held high

I feel your eyes on my back,

As you watch me walk.

I want to stay

I want to talk.

Then I remember the time that has passed

How long it had been since we spoke last.

That’s what held me strong, and kept my legs walking out the door.

FUCK it, you never tried,

So why should I

I get in my car and I just drive.

I can’t turn back

I can’t turn around.

Dropped Like a hot potato.

Now I know our friendship was a game,

And you’re to blame

You started the game,

But I finished it TODAY!!

by Victoria Laxton-Bass