Meat Mincer

Regretting today
the passing of hand-operated
table-clamp meat mincer
one just big enough
to put your hand in, although
once you'd done your fingers
palm bones would jam

That's memories for you
always rose-tinted
until you remember the grisly details


~ ~ ~


Plymouth

A nearly-solstice sun hangs behind the hill
Call it evening but it's only half-three
blue on water
great shadows
sidelit lighthouse
monument
citadel
moping girl props on railings
waiting

I have to follow the roadsigns when I drive back
get funnelled into slow commuter queues
Red brakelights clog the carriageway for miles

Fuck it, I'm turning round
drive anywhere            anywhere but here
this crawl
but I calm down
think of something else
and after the next set of lights the traffic clears
we all speed up

Next thing I'm home            surprisingly quickly


~ ~ ~