“Monday Bloody Monday”

Head bowed against siling rain

Collar up shielding ears

Hat brim a leaking spout

Shoes beat a tattoo as

He Lowried,

Uphill,

Cobbled streets.

And cursed his need of meat

And bread

And eggs

And milk for tea.

A passing car scythed

Gutter water

Over polished shoes

He raised his fist

And cursed a curse

That, against the wind skirl

Went unheard

A shopping list

Suit out from Wizard cleaners.

Perhaps, if he had the cash,

A treat for the dog.

Glimpsed by eyes

Behind net curtains

Safe in the dry;

“Where’s he going?”

“Who is he anyway?”

“He’ll be soaking”

“He’ll be catching his death…”

A car backfires

Once or twice

Or maybe more

Curtains twitch

Then settle

Curiosity satisfied.

Cleansing rain

Flushing blood

Into flooding gutters

Cruciform sprawled in the road

A measured man

And his stuff

Cartridges from a shotgun

Curly Kale

Carrots

False teeth

A Belgian bun.