THE QUIET TENNIS BALL & THE DERELICT SWINGS

see how quietly
the tennis ball sits

in the fringe
of the lawn
this morning

~

a tier of sadness

arrives 

on the car park air

as you swing wide the door

& another 

washes over you

from the derelict swings

like layers of silt

home now & settling in 

HOSPITAL VISIT

one diluted
november day

overnight b&e took
blue shards away

we wish
it was
15 years ago

~

we auto park
&
suck on ecigs

hunting for a hit / kick
under
the
carpark ceiling

low cement 
is 
tomb heavy 
concrete lid

~

bodies failing
we compare symptoms
compare drs shrugs

we get
half lost
in the
add-on up-down

wishing
it was
15 years ago

~

xmas sandwich
& 
yule log muffin

crowded
contactless  
costa 
concession

unfound tumors
wait
under
polyester 
& 
day-out art-museum scarves

~

phones struggle
to find bars
in
the
healing
walls

closed 
hermetic
eco system-

you could disappear into it here

wishing
it was
15 years ago

from southendhospitalradio.co.uk

HIGH STREET POPS 1

198?

id window shop
for
parker pens & pentel pencils

id mumble 
in the chemist
for contraband

&
the library there
well id almost read it

back in the 
i-think-i-dont-care days
of 
chinos
electro
&
the 
i-dont-know
i-dont-know
let-me-be
ghost in the machine 
machine gun dreams



TODDLER GOT CROWS FEET

in velcro trainers 
cos cant do laces
the weathered kids
with adult faces 

tail
the 
hollywood shades & patterned nails
on 
on barbie mums & rejigged maids

to the hairdressers
down on grover way



TOO HUNGRY

cable tied
to the morrisons
car 
park 
handrails

are cellophane wrapped bouquets

there for the glue-sniffing kids 
gone
gone
away

too hungry
for cheap happy
one sad day

from manchestereveningnews.co.uk

SCHOOL NIGHT CHILDHOOD DIAGRAM

the smell of chlorine 

your locker key 
on a safety pin

and another torn 
verruca sock 

~

swimming pool hair
still wet 
in car park dark

clutch a small treat
from
the
new
vending
machine

that backlit shining sugar cave

~

gold cortina 1.6 gl

vinyl roof

drives
us
home

inside winters
longest nights 

~

butter melting
into crumpet holes

and peter davidsons wearing cricket whites

on tv 
in dr who

inexplicably 
unarmed
again

banehuntress.co.uk