Reuben Evans
I saw
Street lamps burning orange phosphorus illuminating the pavement
And
Early morning refuse left out in the cold for rats
And
Lovers through windows speaking quiet words that slide into the ear
And
Radio 4 turned down on the Shipping News at half past five a.m
And
Young men in baseball caps with cider quoting Chaucer
And
Taxi drivers that don't like driving but do out of habit
And
Middle ageing mothers scratching holes in children with their eyes
And
Lonely old men wishing conversations that never happened or will
And
Lights on red even though there is no one there
And
Late night girls smoking against the cold
And
Police sirens shrieking to each other through the dark
And
Seven Chinese restaurants in the Jewish quarter closing
And
The last bus fumbling for cold change sharing seats with drunks
And
Screaming men bleeding on tarmac crying for parents
So
I turned the other cheek thinking maybe the view would be better
But it wasn't.
