A Kindness

Loan me

your generosity,

on good terms,

so I can afford

the repayments,

when the knock comes,

as it used to

when we lived

knee-by-jowl

in back-to-black

two-up,one-down,

tin bath-ed

Jerusalem.

Help me

with memories

more recent,

so we can remain

together here -

‘til the mist falls,

as it soon will,

when my name

dies on lips

drooling and slack,

un-rouged, un-kissed:

I'm still your

Methuselah.

Until then:

I owe

you gratitude,

with interest.