Make a wish, and then its gone
A curl of smoke now a spent dry wick
Happiness held for a moment
Then the sickly spittled cake
For the birthday boy, mum loads him up
And jealous friends crowd round
Skirting round the edges,
Dad takes a snap at mum’s request
Happiness held for a moment
Further out, against the wall
Elderly relatives watch it all
In prickly jumpers, sovereign chains
Fisherman’s friends and pocket change
Slow and still, they watch it all
I unpack the plastic crap my parents bought
Parents doing all they ought to get me hooked
That plastic smell like sniffing glue
The cheap thrill of something new
Happiness held for a moment
Party bags at the door and then its over
Thanks are forced from mouths
By parents eyeing the morning
Outside the orange October light fades
On streets the lamps are lighting
The hush of school tomorrow hangs there
Among conkers and chimney smoke
Back inside my home the smell of boys
Hangs in the air; a fug trapped
In deep pile and double glazing
The telly’s on now and **** are burning in the ashtray
Now they’re asleep, and its over
I sit surrounded in my room at the back of the house
The orange light is coming in through thin curtains
I can’t move for presents, I feel I am imploding
Like a crinkled balloon, expelled of everything
Feeling everything and nothing
Happiness held for a moment
August 2021
Aug 24, 2021
Aug 24, 2021 at 12:52 AM UTC
Make a wish, and then its gone
A curl of smoke now a spent dry wick
Happiness held for a moment
Then the sickly spittled cake
For the birthday boy, mum loads him up
And jealous friends crowd round
Skirting round the edges,
Dad takes a snap at mum’s request
Happiness held for a moment
Further out, against the wall
Elderly relatives watch it all
In prickly jumpers, sovereign chains
Fisherman’s friends and pocket change
Slow and still, they watch it all
I unpack the plastic crap my parents bought
Parents doing all they ought to get me hooked
That plastic smell like sniffing glue
The cheap thrill of something new
Happiness held for a moment
Party bags at the door and then its over
Thanks are forced from mouths
By parents eyeing the morning
Outside the orange October light fades
On streets the lamps are lighting
The hush of school tomorrow hangs there
Among conkers and chimney smoke
Back inside my home the smell of boys
Hangs in the air; a fug trapped
In deep pile and double glazing
The telly’s on now and **** are burning in the ashtray
Now they’re asleep, and its over
I sit surrounded in my room at the back of the house
The orange light is coming in through thin curtains
I can’t move for presents, I feel I am imploding
Like a crinkled balloon, expelled of everything
Feeling everything and nothing
Happiness held for a moment
August 2021
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