HOMELESS
The harsh
light of dawn heralds the clatter and clank of dustcarts and delivery vans,
waking doorway sleepers from the gentle oblivion of night. I light a cigarette,
cupping the match to burn its light onto my retinas – a small fire to appease
the hunger.
At noon,
glaring sunlight strips layers from bodies that should remain covered, while
sweaty faces complain about the heat and sniff disdainfully at the street
people soaking up the warmth.
Later, sunset
blazes over the roof-tops – a brief, glorious vision of a town burning – but when
darkness falls there are only cold neon street-lights and shop-fronts.
And of
course there are candles in jars on pavement tables. I hate the pathetic, fake
romance of lambent light striking sparks from polished glasses – glasses which
probably hold the same wine that I drink from my carton.
It would
be easy to set fire to a tablecloth. That one over there, where the bloke is
struggling to eat while the girl rubs fire into his groin with her bare foot.
They haven’t noticed me watching – no-one ever does.
Imagine
the flames, the breaking glass, the panic, the screams.
All it
would take is one flicked cigarette butt.
