A rough sleeper/panhandling hopeful, wide awake, wishing a good morning — in my pocket, a toehold on Everest's side; A second (a girl), she's taught her dog to hold The Big Issue in between its yellow-black teeth; A scattering of people staring, smiling (at the pet)—"look, look"—"isn't it cute"—"bless"—; A flat expression, dead eyes (the girl's), she's ******* a selection of cuts on her arm, invisible; A tragic scene, in the shadow of London's limestone Everests.
But the toehold leaves Selfishly In my rushing, full Pocket.
Oxford Street, London, July 2018
As part of 'View from...', a collection of observational poetic experiments, whereby I allow myself five minutes to finish a poem regarding my surroundings at that time.