ON LEAVING PECHAM RYE:

Didn’t have to adopt the crazy-eye last night, 3 hours sleep

in two days & it was back for real as I walked fast lugging

heavy bag to the station. The shadow kid in the hood who

lurched towards me mumbled “Sensi?” swerving fast as he

caught my expression. Slip the ticket out the pocket, slide it

into the slot & ride – one continuos motion. Just enough time

for photographic evidence of the magic train swinging low to

carry me home – who knows when I’ll pass this way again.

Everyone on the platform with me may have seen ‘Blackfriars’

on the front of it, but I saw ‘Essex’. The hoods in the carriage

kept their heads down, nodding with the rhythm of the rocking.

To my tired eye’s the carriage lights were as relentless

as distress flares, hurting my eyes. I countered with camera

in black & white – everything went film noir & I was back in

control, relaxing.

At the Elephant the mall smelled of cleaning products, printer ink

& perfume – Girls giggled, stumbling arm-in-arm. I didn’t make

the same mistake as last time, didn’t take the wrong turn,

staying clear of the alleys, following signs to the tube.

On the pavement outside I got a double barrel of meths rising

from a tiny lake, a smashed bottle. The meths & the perfume & fumes

from the busses parked outside reassured me I was headed in the right

direction. Women in lingerie smiled down at me from Illuminated

billboards as I slipped my ticket in & slid between the barricades –

“Don’t you want to stay with me?”.

The boys in sweats coming from dance studios talked like music

in animated tongues, their sinuous limbs swerving pools of finely

desiccated sick with ease. I breathed the dust of millions & began

to smile, the lights growing softer as the distance to Essex

shortened.

Today, in sunshine I’m listening to ‘ABC’ by Bly de Blyant,

another new release from the excellent Hubro label

(K)