The First Time

I remember that evening being so funny and joyous

Like an orchestrated plot to make myself happy

I remember the sky was a blazing war of red and purple and in my ears was a new song I'd found

The guitar was shimmering and the girl was singing through voice cracks about how "things never change do they?"

But things had changed so much for me so recently

It was the first time I felt like I'd left

The road was wide and long like one of those silly London roads but it was real

I looked at the buildings on either side

They were independent grocers or supermarkets or sometimes small brick houses

And I looked at the people and they looked happy or distracted or sensitive or something else entirely

And it was the best time I'd had in a long time