Liberty, Equality, Humanity
unlit stone alcove
sheltered from noise of traffic
aligned with concrete
a man lies down for the night
organic heap on city street
~
n.b. “…but everywhere, it’s the same.” Some cities have more obvious housing problems than others.
CLP 22/03/2023
The sunset reveals the strength of the west wind. Long thin fingers of pink cloud extend high across the darkening blue sky.
The sun disappears, but from beyond the skyline, sends a single red beam powering straight up. A trick of the light; a crimson spotlight backlighting an emptying stage.
Following the arc of the heavens, not far behind the Sun bleeding over the horizon, Venus. The stark brilliance of Venus. The sky still too light for other stars. No moon. Just the Goddess of Love and Beauty. Evening Star for now, but like a passionate lover, soon to return as the Morning Star to greet me at dawn.
In awe of what lies beyond our atmosphere, I turn up Purdy Street. A bat flickers from somewhere over my shoulder and twists a helix in its flight chasing midges across the lane and over the red tiled roof of a flint cottage.
I meet no-one on my walk.
Warm lights illuminate several of the cottages, but many are cold, empty shells. Holiday homes, second homes, retirement homes, investment homes, unfinished farm building conversions. The cluster of active family homes is found in the close of social housing on the right of the lane. Here children’s bicycles, a colourful football, a red and yellow Wendy House, litter the small gardens and collect evening dew.
My news of seeing the bat, when I return, provokes a dark joke, “I hope you weren’t infected by it.”
.
Christopher Perry
16th April, 2020
Journey of Words 