he looks a bit weird he thinks
not like he imagines himself at all
like listening to a recording of his voice
is that what he sounds like when he’s talking serious?
& then there’s the background
(the corner of a window on a terrace on a street)
he kind of knows his way around
but the place is so big
(one has of course
a number of favourite locations
parks museums monuments
the boating-lake & so on
but) just look at the map
there are too many streets to remember
you could spend your whole life here
devote yourself to psychogeography
& still find yourself in an unfamiliar mews
somewhere you’ve heard mention of perhaps
or not experience perhaps (or not)
a feeling of déjà vu
& it runs even deeper than that
there are people you need to speak to
only they remain concealed (perhaps
one stood back invisible
within a dark interior
watches you through a window
or maybe not)
you can go though the refuse
like a private detective
in search of receipts letters scribbled notes
only to learn nothing other than the cost
of various everyday essential items or
stake out the neighbourhood
follow them as they walk the streets
your hat pulled down over your eyes
as you imagine their movements
reflected in your mirror-shades
but they’ll give you the slip
& in short you’ll never know
what’s going on
or what’ll happen next
.
Dominic Rivron
Picture Nick Victor
.