The boy with purple sleeves ...

The boy with purple sleeves cut my hair -

I recognise your head he said -

There were Christmas baubles hung above the cut throat razors -


I listened to the barbers' banter -

The scissors danced above my head -


Barnets
Wareham

November 29 2019

The gaudy tin ...

I'm eighty eight she said -

My daughter wants me to go in a home -

I don't want to go into a home -

Look, there's my kitchen -

See - 

And my hair - I've just had it done -


I looked at the sparkling work top -

The neat hair -

The calendar on the wall -


My eyes pricked with tears -

There they were -

All the days crossed out -

One by one -


I saw the willow pattern plate -

Three biscuits from the gaudy tin -

The house all around her like the empty sea -


November 2019

Sea-green incorruptible .,.

I remember my dad longing to be a member of a revolutionary tribunal -

Making swift judgements -

Lean like Cassius -


He'd linger over the words -

Sea-green incorruptible -


November 2019

The wheezing man ..

The wheezing man opened his door -

A drizzly rain was falling -


I'm fed up with them all he said -


I'm for the NHS I said -

It saved my life -


I want us to leave the wheezing man said -


November 2019

The letter ...

The letter was like an elegant snare -

Grave concerns - 

My regrets - 

The man wearing brogues would avoid hearing truths - 

He'd support a charity - 

Slip into a photograph - 

Smile his gleaming smile -

November 2019

A silky voice ...

All I saw was a navy blue blazer -

Brown brogues - 

A posho shirt - 

All I heard was a silky voice - 

I concur with all you say - 

We must all work together - 

Let's get Brexit done - 

Hustings

Swanage 

November 2019 

Magical thinking ...

It's magical thinking I thought -

All these suspicious brows -

These lowered, wary, eyes -


Ears deaf to whatever words I speak -

Whatever hope I bring -

In thrall to a smirking head, floating on a screen -


November 2019