The days that I have been fighting for so long

Have finally come to a halt

A hot baited breathing breath beats round my neck

Made up of heavy wheezing pauses

And a middle c irritating cough

Unwieldy and often interrupting my thoughts

So, I sit with contemplation on my chest

A coffee in my hand as black as tar

And a breeze around my ears

A long-ago burnt-out lipstick kissed cigarette or two

Laying naked in the ash tray on the table

Which today I call my desk

Ignoring the waiters buzzing and weaving

Between the calls and demands of other people

The idle gossip of strangers

And the empty beer bottles from another lunch

Or maybe breakfast who can know

I just want to sit here near the window

Basking in the lit -up sky the palms that don’t

Belong here and the beach with the families

Their dogs, copious belongings and sand encrusted

Sunburnt backs

Until the nudging attention behind me draws me back

And I lift my head because you are there

Your eyes pointing questions at me

I stand to say perhaps I should go

But you say not just yet

Let’s sit and talk

Let’s confiscate the clouds of despair

Let’s ride the waves of indiscretion and tact

Let’s stitch and repair the past

Before the sunset breaks our backs