Collar Up and No Fixed Abode Roving

There is steam rising off my battered old coat,
but, it’s actually quite mild for a March evening.
I have a flagon in each side pocket,
15 nicker in my left sock,
and half a 50g tin of rolling tobacco.
Besides the pre-packaged sandwich this morning,
I had a nice, warm Full English
at the Salvation Army for £1.50
(It’s practically impossible to starve nowadays…
unless you really choose to).
My kids have all grown up
with young families of their own now,
and the Ex-Wife started to stop
and say “Hello” in the street three Summers ago…
it’s nice when things finally come full circle.
I haven’t seen the inside of a police cell in months,
and I’m skippering-down, for the moment,
in an old gun turret upon the hill overlooking the beach…
there are expensive hotels all behind
charging an absolute fortune for the view,
and I’m closer to the sea than any of them.
I’m a complicated man, with a simple heart…
I yearn for nothing, except another dog
(And that’s something which can be obtained shortly),
and I strive for peace of mind and self-contentment only.

Paul Tristram is a widely published Welsh writer who deals in the Lowlife, Outsider, and Outlaw genres.  He wrote his first poem as a teenager following his release from the (Infamous) Borstal ‘HMP Portland’, and he has been creating Literary Terrorism ever since.  His novel ‘Crazy Like Emotion’ is available to purchase right here . Also his collection of shorter fiction Kicking Back Drunk ‘Round The Candletree Graves' is available to purchase at https://bookgoodies.com/a/B0DFMTSR4F Both books are published by Close To The Bone Publishing. Read other articles by Paul, or visit Paul's website.