Street 5.20

Cars parked
on either side of the street.

It is raining and windy.

The time is 5.20pm
on a November Tuesday
in the city London.

Shop and house doors
open and close.

People come and go
leaving for work or
arriving home
or somewhere
else maybe.

Some stand at the bus stop
heading north.

Two lovers cross
to the other side.

And wait
and wait.

For a southbound service.

Umbrellas are shared
and children
are pulled to mums and dads.

A black rubbish sack is blown
attaching and wrapping
itself around
an old mans legs
he trips over
is helped by a youth
with pink spiked hair.

Sodium lights
flicker on
timed wrong
for it is dark long since.

Buses appear
in a convoy of three
heading north
towards Swiss Cottage.

Passengers on the south
side shuffle
turn their backs
to the wind
obstructing passers by
on other business.

A firework goes off nearby
blown off course
by a wet gust.

It lands still ignited
in the street path.

There is the scream of a child.