a café in England’s North West doesn’t overwhelm
where’s the tree where the wagtails roost do they
still granular embossed polished brushed
throwing hoops at the hook the galleon on the bartop
am I war zone up in the clouds in mist
compulsory water feature in town square turned off
witchy hills landscapes of plate meat pie undulating
for reasons Robin Hood takes the bus to Sheffield
signature collage mushy peas gravy lovely salad
in the gallery mirror shows the top o’ mi yed
hollow irregular bulbous spiked
shiny views hoodies in Reeboks with longbows
grey hills walks to the castle bedrock redistributes
wealth but the rich get still richer bookshops closed
Mondays cat-café and coffee by the station
I call how’s your embodied privations those days
people were living in caves up till the 20th
century vertical balanced peaks don’t
get out much these days do you like curly fries
ten minutes to the cricket ground bollard in charge
of the street fossil criniods in the walls of St mary’s
council offices please wear mas and keep
social distance registering palpable ambience
of sculpture based on the Venus of Willendorf bumpy
hallucinating presence old photos paintings quotidian
as plastic banquettes used to come here a lot
before during and after see you soon narrative
Steven Waling