how bold of them to allow me back into the fold again,
my analytical side tells me that it's a test
and
whoever heard of a cuckoo building a nest?

It gets late on the estate quite early
the street lights come on when daylight fades
shopkeepers pull down their toughened shutters
which fend off the crash and grab raids.

teething babies dosed with whiskey to soothe them
and a whiff of coal gas makes them sleep,
priests are doling out absolution,
life here is awfully cheap.