Composed

Fresh clean suit
All creases and sharp
Shoes shined to mirror black
Hair combed and parted
Pristine display…

Later, when family
And friends depart
Still sharply dressed
Creases crisp
Hair combed and parted
Wife sits beside
And talks of days gone by

And when the morning comes
Lid closes, final journey
Words spoken, tears shed...
Composure lost

...Goodbye

Reminiscences

Today; out walking
I saw your smile
Across another’s face
As they crossed paths
And parted ways

I saw your smile
Remembered your touch
Heard your laugh
Your happy sigh
On mornings breeze
And wing flutter
Of startled birds

Walking on along
Dusty streets
Past house and car
Tree and gate
A glance to sky
And there in clouds
I see your smile

Hello, Knife...

Hello knife…

…Stasis in motion…
Corners turned and chosen paths
Society shunned; ignored in turn
Product of vitamin D deficiency
And rage – inner seething
Roiling mind
Guts knotted
Like a nest
Of rattlers on acid
From beneath this woolly fleece
I cast a canine shadow
Too many grudges to hold them all
Empty a full clip
But it’s never enough
Not forgiving just forgetting
In dark shades of grey
Along dusty streets he shambles
Crisp black clothing faded;
Like his health and age.
Shattered shards of past ripping soles
As steps forward mimic steps back
Glittering reflections
Of mistakes made then; now; again!
Walk on, walk past, and walk away,
It’s best if you do,
Turn around and walk away…
Nothing here for you, today.
Maybe later, we will see.
It depends on if
He notices you, notice him
Then it’ll be you here
Standing in a field of lies
With a pocketful of truth
Full to overflowing with soured milk
Juggling bricks in this glasshouse
Stroking edges of that pain that remains
Watching those fingers curl and close
Grasping that tender heart and ripping it out
Feeding entropy

…Goodbye life

...his
hand poised
fingers extended
not quite
reaching out...

...as it was she said nothing
as those eyes lingered a little too long
as those fingers reached but never touched
as she turned and walked
never
looking
back...

Perception

I walk the streets

Head down

Seeing gutters

Old fag ends

And anonymous paper bits

Suburban detritus

And wonder

Who

Where

Why and

What

This is an inspiration?

Sort of

Or a fantasy observation

I see smeared dog shit

And blood stains

Graffiti

Tags

Bags

Rags

And

Bones

And

People

Some above that level

Some below

I see

A grimy underbelly

Of this rancid city

I see

Pain manifest

On pedestrian visages

I see

Hope vanish as the sun rises

I see life as it is

Rose petals washed from my face

With tears of pity

For them
For me having to see them

For me.

Happiness

Plummeting towards hard ground
Smiling mouth without sound
Solace sought; solace found

Fight

Fighter
You
All confident strength
Actions and resolute words
Deeds done, damage avoided
Vigour life-grasp fighter – you

I...

I was fought.

Experience Experiments

I am that marker pen
Dizzy scent quickly spent
I am that aerosol
Capped blast that didn’t last
I am that industrial glue
Bagged and tagged
On youths spotted face
I am that cigarette
I am that ale
That shot
That grape
I am that dubious weed
Giggling high and far
I am that powder white
Fast and bright
I am that powder brown
I am that crystal grown
I am needle and rope and spoon
And pipe and bag and knife
I am freedom trapping you

Travelling Time

Body diced
Boned
And left
In acid bath

~

A night’s work
Well done
~

Message sent -
Of delivered message

~

That hand…
That face peeled…
~
And transaction
Completed -
~
Time to travel…