Wednesday, December 28, 2005

In the Neighbourhood

Take a walk down
this street that I live in
and you will see all
my neighbours and friends
as well as the enemies
I’ve gone and forgiven
and the people I don’t know
who live at the far ends.

There’s Mr McKenzie
who wears a hat like a bowl
painted black and upended
to cover his head.
He pops into the shop
for six morning rolls,
a newspaper, some milk
and a trip back to bed.

And my mate Nathaniel
(it took me ages to learn
how to spell his name
even though I’ve never needed)
stays six doors down –
just leave my house and turn
to the left and walk straight
and it’s that way you’re headed.

On the corner, that’s Danny.
I hate him, he hates me.
We fought once at school
and he busted my lip.
I remember last year
when he was real clumsy
and I laughed when he fell
when raking in a skip.

And Auld Mrs O’Boyle
who invites us inside
to get a glass of ginger
if we go to the shops
and buy her her messages.
And I always get a ride
on the back of Nat’s bike
while my wee sister hops

on the pavement and sings
all her daft, wee songs.
Look, Jamesie and Rab
coming back from their work
and banging the lamppost
making big giant G-O-N-G-S
and shouting all the way
‘til it starts getting dark.

And that leaves Nat and me
and John, Kieran and Connor
and Liam and Kyle
and all of the rest
still playing out for a bit
(Kyle once found a tenner)
and then getting called home
by mum, who’s not impressed

by the time of night.
"What time do you call this?"
And I could just tell her
that we’ve been really good
and behaved and did nothing
but she wouldn’t believe us
so instead I’ll just tell her what
happened in the neighbourhood.




Some words/phrases you might not know

skip: one of these, for collecting rubbish in.
auld: old.
ginger: this means any sort of soft drink.
to go for messages: to go shopping.
tenner: a £10 note.


  Posted by deemikay :: # 12/28/2005 05:01:00 AM :: ---------------------------------------