But You Don't See Me

I see you!
Hanging there
defing gravity 
making patterns in the sky 
trails stitching clouds together
full with people exploring far off lands
visiting loved ones
fufilling dreams 
I see the excitement on their faces
the anticipation in their hearts - I see you!
...but you don't see me

I see you!
Ploughing
there in your tractor 
drawing straight furrows across the earth
turning the soil with your plough
for seeds to sow 
I see the seagulls following you
flying high above you as you work the land
searching for a meal - I see you!
...but you don't see me

I see you!
Tracing a line across the water
your tiny boat on giant seas
the ropes you work
your nets to catch the fish 
your bright yellow waterproofs keeping you warm and dry
I see the relentless toil 
written across your face
the hopes and dreams in the lines across your 'work worn' hands - I see you!
...but you don't see me

I see you
all of you
from high upon a hill-top road
snug inside my car
speeding to where I need to be
doing what I need to do
I see you
I see you all 
going to where you need to go
doing what you need to do - I see you!

...but you don't see me






(Haiku)

Strength is passing up 
the chance of buying a drink
when drink's all you want

MacDonalds

Customer Side 
Saturday.
a normal Saturday
busy
full with people!
People with expectations
customers
flooding through doors
ladend
bags of shopping
buggies
wheelchairs 
coats
umbrellas!
People - nought to ninety-two!
Hungry
thirsty
tired
head to ordering stations
queuing to order!
Debating choices
Tapping on screens
Ordering
Confirming 
Paying
Phone lines humming
Data transferring 
Banks authorizing
Monies change hands - order is confirmed so sent forward to the kitchens
People queue once more
Receipts held tightly 
order numbers committed to memory
edging forward
'destination counter'
Waiting - impatiently 
Orders dispatched - not their order!
Order numbers heading upwards
Concentration 
Listening 
Waiting
Their order number!
their order is complete!
their order is presented!
Tray is examined
order is confirmed 
order is picked up
Turn and head away
Looking for condiments
Napkins
Sauce
Salt
Straws
Those important extras
Then it's hunting for a table
Hunting for a familiar face already at a table
Finding a table
clearing that table
putting bags down
sitting down
settling down
...start to eat!

Staff Side
Organized chaos
Frantic
Relentless 
Confirmed orders sent through to screens in kitchens
received by professional
trained
able people
Supplied
stocked
ready
prepared and provided for
Screens read
training swings into action
machine like
orders prepared
using supplies ready to hand
each person doing their job
each a single cog in a greater machine
each person having a function towards a single goal
Machinery cleaned and serviced
training completed 
supplies ordered and delivered on time
prepared
jobs allocated
positions maned
resources prepared and positioned
each piece of this jigsaw
identified
placed - enabling this machine
to produce
an end product - the finished jigsaw
matching - the expected image
the image
promoted
...there on the lid of the box!
Done!










Remember

Remember when all these houses were fields? - the city seemed so far away!
Remember when that was the show ground? - all the show traffic clogging up the roads for miles!
Remember when eating and drinking in the street was considered the height of vulgarity? - now you feel wierd if you aren't eating and drinking in the street!
Remember having the confidence that these young people have - were we ever that confident?
Remember when that shop used to be a 'Woolies'? - it's a fast-food outlet now!
Remember when you wouldn't see employees 
huddled outside the back doors of shops 
having a fag or a vape - nor dossers drinking cheap lager at ten in the morning!
Remember when every other shop wasn't a coffee shop - and people weren't walking and talking into their mobiles?
Remember that that used to be where I caught the bus home - now they're knocking it down!
Remember when you and I met on that platform - they've taken away those red benches we sat on!
Remember those old red double decker buses in the high street - you could jump on and off the rear platform!
Remember the old corrugated stand at the football stadium
Remember when no-one thought they needed to offer you their seat on the train
Remember when everyone didn't look so young

Remember when...
Remember?


Monday Is A State Of Mind

Monday is a state of mind - that feeling in the pit of your stomach!

Monday is a state of - the weekend having flown by too quickly!

Monday is a state - you're in

Monday is a - bastard!

Monday is - the best day of the week!

for Monday is a state of mind!



Brought Me

Dog left briefly in car
stares at shop door 
door his master disappeared through
staring
constantly
head unflinchingly steady
eyes fixed
until...
until dog spots master again
at said door
"He has returned!"
bursting with excitement 
and
as master walks across carpark 
returns to said car
opens car door
dog leaps...

out of faithfulness?
or is it
"I wonder what he's brought me?"