Two Small Incidents This Week

Just in case there is nothing else to put here for a week or so, here are two pieces that probably could be called 'poems'. And, yes, they are poems. But possibly not quite the sort of poem I'd usually put my name to, if you see what I mean.

But they are reportage of detail from a small life. There might be a reviewer within these islands that would say so.

Two Small Incidents This Week 

1 

I’m looking at hats on a market stall.

The cheapest type of panama or fedora. 

Behind me I hear the sort of local wit

That keeps the stall holders so entertained. 

He’s asking what came first, the chicken

or the egg. And that it’s a good question. 

I look at one or two more hats.

They’re 7 quid and shouldn’t be put near naked flames. 

But then can’t help but turn round to explain

It was the egg, the egg came first. 

Dinosaurs laid eggs

Before there were chickens. 

But he says, yes, but there was life

On earth before dinosaurs 

And I say, yes, there was

But not chickens.

 

2 

I packed my bag for a week off

Throughout the week before, 

Adding each item as I thought of it.

Tablets, diary, camera. 

Oh, yes. Camera, and therefore

Some replacement batteries to put it in. 

I take two batteries out of the drawer,

The last two in the cardboard strip 

Then find that I have put the cardboard

Into my bag and am walking to the kitchen bin 

To throw the batteries away.

Why am I throwing these batteries away. 

Oh, I see. Perhaps I’ll put them in my bag

And throw the cardboard away instead.