YESTERDAY’S JOKER

YESTERDAY’S JOKER – as was, as is

Cheek by jowl
the restless pigeons
watch and wait
wait and watch
‘No croissant crumbs today guys’
He breakfasts only on
steaming expresso and nicotine

He contemplates this and that
avoiding the issue at hand
always dodging ‘that’ topic
puts it on the back burner
for now he takes the
’round the houses walk’
homeward bound

She does not need to
see him like this
Not again
not again, it is unfair
she deserves better

There is no rationale
to that which arrives
out of the clear blue skies
Dark mind malignancy
trumps cheerful remission
flourishing in the bone marrow of
his once divine substance

He watches her from the doorway
the washing machine gyrates
a kettle screams as it boils alive
she rescues a muddled spider from the sink
spins on her dancing slippers
beams
‘You’re not normal you know’
He nods an affirmative
a nod of palpable regret
Still she smiles
‘It doesn’t matter though
it will pass, you know that
It always does’

‘How do you put up with me?’
She ponders over that question
for just a moment
pad of forefinger
resting quizzically upon
undressed lips
head to one side
‘You make me laugh most times
Oh…that and the fact you are
the love of my life
Will that do?’

A lump of remorse
sticks in the throat of
yesterday’s joker

She deserves better