SEEN HER COME.

TWO WOMAN TALKING OF A YOUNG WOMAN DYING OF CANCER.

I’ve seen her come in at
All hours Mrs Brishbank

Says and usually with a
Man and the sort of man

My mother would have
Said was not for fine

Company and she always
Wears the most revealing

Of clothes and the skirts
Are way too high they

Show everything well
Almost everything if you

See what I mean and she
Has the most awful drawl

In her voice like she was
Hauling fish aboard a boat

At this Mrs Gaudy smiles
And scratches her a*s and

Pulls up the panties which
Have loose elastic and keep

Slipping down a fraction
And of course Brishbank

Continues she has no
Control of her kids they’re

Up to no good all the
Goddamn time and they

Come out with awful
Language and I suppose

The mother’s no good
Example for them and

Then she pauses and looks
At Mrs Gaudy and indicates

With a nod of her head the
Entry into the store of

The young woman she’s
Been speaking of and says

Well hello Mrs Morsis and
How are you and your

Husband and the sweet
Children and how’s the fight

With the cancer going? Mrs
Morsis appears not to hear

Her thoughts are elsewhere
And on her thin shoulder

Unseen and unheard sits
Death’s dark cancerous bird.