Shmoozing at an evening do

No-one really likes canapes
but they are a useful device to disguise social discomfort
taking a smoked haddock fishcake from the waitresses silver tray
is essentially the same as checking for texts.

Glasses of fizz are marginally more welcome
you can calculate how quickly you can reasonably
polish one off before reaching out for another.
In this minute or so you can forget you are all by yourself,
that you have no-one to talk to

and soon enough the person making their speech
will be making their speech
or the band will start
or someone you actually like will turn up
or it will be late enough to go home
without it seeming rude but for now

we are stuck with these tiny squares of couscous
clinging on to an empty glass
because life is a constant dilemma of wondering
what to do with our hands.