The Man on the Street

Cherry

By Silver Spun Sand

Sun, 06 Oct 2013
  • 2549 reads
17 comments
 

 

Every afternoon they shuffle in – him,

holding her hand.

 

He leads her to a table...pulls out a chair –

helps her sit down, and smoothes her hair.

 

Asks what she’d like; she doesn’t answer

but he pretends she does.

 

‘OK, then, pet.  One toasted tea-cake, coming up!’

 

Whistles Colonel Bogey – always the same tune

as he heads for the counter.

 

‘Two coffees – one black, one white, please,

and a bacon sarnie.  Oh, and the usual,

if you’d be so kind?’

 

His hands shake, and he don’t look so good,

but he’s cheerful enough, setting the world

to rights.

 

Carries the tray to their table...cuts up her food

wipes her mouth with a napkin,

then picks up their bags.

 

Waves to me, says, ‘See you tomorrow,

love – god willing, of course,’ leaves 10p tip

on the plate; small price to pay

for the high-point of his day.

Certificate PG
Poem
Silver Spun Sand Poems
Love

Comments

Submitted by maisie on

aww.  nicely drawn picture. 

maisie angel Guess what?  I'm still alive!

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, Maisie;-)

 

Submitted by maisie on

UTTERLY WELCOME.

maisie angel Guess what?  I'm still alive!

Submitted by scratch on

That's very very good Tina.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Obliged to you, scratch.

Tina

 

Submitted by catherine poarch on

I agree, great. The bit where he pretends she's answered is so clever. Familiar to lots of people for different reasons I expect.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

A good morning to you, catherine, and many thanks for reading, and taking the trouble to comment, so empathetically.

Tina

 

Submitted by Bee on

Tells a story between the lines. Very clever and touching.

Bee

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Obliged to you, Bee;-)

Tina

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I'm glad you filed this under 'Love', Tina. I still remember my father telling me as a young teenager that there's far more to love than those pop songs show.
Touching scene, drawn with empathy. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Interesting you picked up on that Rhiannon...might have know you would;-)  Yes, you are so very right in what you say about the many sides to love.  Isn't there just?

Many thanks for reading, and for your wisdom.

Tina

 

Submitted by VeraClark on

A heartbreaker, Tina.  You can handpick precise nuggets of pain and deliver them so casually that it catches your reader in the throat.  Like these:  'smoothes her hair' 'cuts up her food.' 'his hands shake.'  

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, Vera.  You never do miss a trick;-)

 

Submitted by moonphish on

beautiful vignette...exquisite detail :) - alvin

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Many thanks, alvin.  Good of you to read and leave such a lovely comment;-)

Tina

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

This is such a visual poem Tina...so beautifully mastered.  I agree with Rhiannon and yourself,  there are so  many sides to love that we don't realise until we get older.  Really enjoyed reading.  Jenny.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Hi again, Jenny and a very good morning to you;-)  How right you are about seeing more sides to love the older we become.  

Pleased you enjoyed, and many thanks for letting me know.

Tina