By Hugo Williams

In 1975 Wilko Johnson wrote “Twenty Yards Behind” for his band Dr Feelgood (click here).

“I’m walking twenty yards behind her/cause I love the way she shakes behind”

In 2014 Hugo Williams included this villanelle in his collection “I Knew the Bride” (click here)

All those things men find so intense,
watching her walking from twenty yards behind,
women take as the most tender nonsense.

Their appreciation isn’t a pretence,
but they couldn’t care less what kind
of strange things we find so intense,

so long as we enjoy the performance
and what we place in their hand
isn’t just some tender nonsense.

If we knew their true response,
as they threw their limbs around,
to all the things we find so intense,

we might experience detumuscence,
but at least we would understand
why they talked such tender nonsense.

With a greater degree of correspondence
we might not like what we found.
All those things men find so intense
women take as the most tender nonsense.

Hugo Williams