British Tribal Street Warfare

by Paul Tristram / April 10th, 2022

Pay close attention to the wall graffiti
… they don’t decorate Corners,
they’re Boundary Warnings.
Come upon Groups ‘Hush-Running’
[No noise except Bootfall]
other-direction-it quick sharpish
… people are about to get
Mob-Trampled and Punished.
You see or hear kids banging
metal upon metal [Drainpipes,
Fence-Railings, Manhole Covers]
it’s the Filth-Siren…
the Local Constabulary
have just entered into the edges
of Gangland Territory [Hide].
Screaming’s normally a ‘Lure’
… especial since mobile phones.
Don’t wear a backpack, numpty
… unless you’re in school,
or a Shotter working for a Dealer.
Terraced Streets are a Gamble
… Council Estates
are not Tourist Attractions [Ever]
and should be avoided at all costs,
approached only with Caution
or by the Idiotic and Suicidal.
A decent Street Working Girl
is an Environmental Library
… and can have you killed
with a single upheld Finger-Click.
‘The Rules are there ain’t no Rules’
… is a silly movie expression…
absolutely everything Matters
from leaving your Door to back again.

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.

This article was posted on Sunday, April 10th, 2022 at 8:02am and is filed under Poetry.