Unheard

by Neil Fulwood / October 2nd, 2016

The wind threatens him with take-off,
hair blasted free of Brylcreem contours,
coattails flapping like a punk bar.

He’s thrown his arms out to the elements,
bellowing madly like Lear
(or are the words of a barroom ballad

he flings to the wind’s indifference?)
He’s a distant figure on a hillside,
a blur in the background of a photograph,

the guest you can’t remember inviting.
You’re crossing the street now,
eyes elsewhere, intent on avoiding him,

taking care not to hear what he’s saying.

Neil Fulwood has published three collections with Shoestring Press, ‘No Avoiding It’, ‘Can’t Take Me Anywhere’ and ‘Service Cancelled’. A collection of political satires, ‘Mad Parade’ has just been published by Smokestack Books. Neil lives and works in Nottingham. Read other articles by Neil.

This article was posted on Sunday, October 2nd, 2016 at 8:02am and is filed under Poetry.