A collection of poems and other writings...

Tuesday 4 March 2014

Sidewalk Quickstep

More confessions...
I forget myself.

In the quiet solitude
of the walk
back down the hill
past the park,

I forget myself.

In the relief
of the day’s full tension,

I forget myself,

and
calmly
express myself -

wind

blowing free
from my arse.

But this raucous reedy report,
which sends clichés of pigeons clattering
into the sky,
wakes me
from my
walking stupor.
The curtains of the moment open
and here I am
aware
of all the rest of you.

Now, I remember.

Here I am,
confounded
by embarrassment,
with you,
the attractive you,
right up there
slipstreaming
behind me.

And in my desperation
to reclaim my dignity
I scud the pavement
with the side of my boot
to recreate the offending noise.

Again and again
I skip and scuff at the tarmac.

I can
in no way
approach
the original fanfare
but you,
the beautiful you,
walking behind in my cloud,
yesterday’s sage and onion,
dive off down a forking path
and leave me
to continue
the kicking
sad pretence,

red-cheeked and solitary,

while the approaching
pedestrian
looks in quivering
bemusement
at my

sidewalk quickstep.

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