Steve Mearns

Spain

Steve Mearns has been writing for 10 years and has had poetry published in Down in the Dirt, Stepping Stones, Mudfish and Ink Sweat and Tears He lives with his wife in Spain

poem completed between 3-10 April

EMPTY

Billy, Ed and Sam

Echoing in empty streets

Grins and bants

Sharing a fag

Kicking a can

Waking in a muck sweat stench

Hacking cough, lungs on fire

Hearts leaping off rotten ribs

Mum's ashen faced, clammy handed,

Weeping

Sirens drifting in and out

calling down ginels

To the Royal, to the Royal

Billy, Ed and Sam

Echoing in empty streets

Grins and bants

Sharing a fag

Kicking a can

Heads submerged, mouths full of

Sponge, crushing, airless breathing.

Goldfish

Glide by gasping masks

Ghosts in gowns, hover, eyeing

Monstrous monitors,

Their

White eyes rolling back

Billy, Ed and Sam

Quiet

Laid out, bare

No mothers here

No last lament

Kicked their last

Can

Billy, Ed and Sam