Porridge for breakfast

With added prunes

Christmas dinner stew defrosting

With festive sprouts

I shall wear a paper hat.

 

I am a slight and lesser man

‘Un lanterne rouge’

Struggling to keep the peloton in view

Till weariness overtakes me.

 

In fervent hope

Trust

Or lust

Or maybe even love

I stood through rain and snow

Gently pebbling

My lover’s window

 

I walked away

And turned

Walked away

And turned

Walked

And turned again.

 

The curtains stayed closed

The welcome lamp

Unlit.

 

I? An irrelevance

A third spear carrier

Brushed aside

Surplus to requirements in

Her tragi-comic

Soap opera life.

 

I gave my love freely

To simple souls who could not cope

With my profligacy

 

And smooth tongued liars

Gilt edged promise peddlers

Spinners of wondrous dreams

Of banqueting on new born quail

Ballooning over Machu Picchu

 

Sailing a stately brigantine

In coats of alligator fur

Against the chill

Through mists of unicorn breath

On uncharted emerald seas.

 

No Charon rows for me

My coracle through

Black ink spindrift sea

Sodden flotsam surrounds me

 

Everything

Everyone

Ebbs away.

 

A box of  ‘Twister’

Chocolate balls

For dessert

Promising

Sensuous smooth hazelnut filling.

 

Washed down with antacids

Antacids and tea.