Parklife

IF these walls could talk!

If I was a fly on the wall!

Well, I’m a talking, listening park bench.

All ears, in a figurative sense.

See what I did there?

Demonstrated my command of language.

Fuckin marvellous.

The dog’s bollock’s.

Self taught, I am.

Seen and heard it all.

Not bad for a bench.

but I am only a park bench.

You’ll never guess what happened last night!

(That’s rhetorical BTW, I don’t want a reply)

A fuckin kid carved Daz for Shaz on my back.

I’m not a fan of tattoos

and wanted to say to him.

Love is such an ephemeral thing

often confused with passion or lust.

Do you really care for Shaz's welfare?

Do you want to make her smile,

bring her a coffee,

look after her when she’s got a snotty cold?

Or is just the shagging?

but I’m only a park bench.

That bloke came today.

He put some coins in a plastic cup.

WTF is a wonderwall?

Repertoire’s a bit limited.

Still nobody stays for long.

10 p max.

He’s a skinny bugger, hard to tell how old.

Grey stubble.

Hands shook a bit.

Nice voice, mind.

Proper Welsh lilt to it.

Thanked them for every 10p.

That takes effort,

Caring about other people.

but I’m only a park bench.

He came back when it was getting dark

With a smelly old sleeping bag

Guitar case for a pillow.

People tutting and looking away

Crossing to the other side

It’s getting cold

There’s a smell of rain in the air

Poor sod

But I’m only a park bench

All he’s got.

I waited tonight

Same cold air

Same rain hanging heavy.

No footsteps

No cough

No guitar case pillow

Just the wind

Wrappers skittering

A dog pissed on my leg

He didn’t come

And I realised

He never would

And I’m only a park bench