Celebrations
mutual congratulations
and a fair flowing stream
of a liquid dream
lead by the nose
to animated fun
and a phone call.

As the tone rang
I blinked
and the sky grew dark
an instant eclipse of the day.

Gripped,
a cold hand of fear on my shoulder
I blinked
and flicked  through channel after channel
frantic
panicked searching for news
of the disaster.
What had happened
to make all the lights go out?

I remember
a clock
flashing wrong time
some two hours passed
in the moment it took
to close my eyes.


But nothing
no reports no pictures no screaming people running for the hills
like wild horses
no-one knew.

Only I (lonely I)
all on my own
I knew. Something was wrong.

How else could I spend
no time
talking to You for two hours
and saying nothing at all?

(And ’66 became ’87 without anyone noticing…)