Full Of Green

 

In a grubby green cardigan, he shelters with coffee

offers time to music, which is not to his taste.

The garden inside is a better sound.

 

A girl in apple-green stilettos staggers past.

Paints a running whiff of coffee

down his shoes. Her apple turns sour.

 

She barks at him. Mind out the bloody way!

Wipes her own loss and slumps, as far away

as the café allows.

 

Paintings line the wall, take my eyes

to green topiary, green conifers, green buds −

an escape to keep you alive.

 

Your cardigan will keep the leaves growing,

play your future, but steal my thoughts.

A mind empty, but full of green.

 

Stay in the warm old man. Green is safe here.

Your dangling threads can curl from cuffs

and soak up coffee. Catch the hour. Catch the years.

 

Hold that conifer and let it lift you,

walk those fields and charm the air.

I’m here, you’re there and we are gathering green.