Store detective
His boots
give him away;
black polished size thirteen –
a former copper.
He follows me
along the aisle of dairy products.
He’s watching me
as I sidle around the wine stacks.
I put some bottles in the trolley
and I feel guilty
as he is eyeing me sternly.
I am apprehended.
“I see you’ve got five bottles there,”
he is saying,
“Now, sir, if you was to buy another one –
there’s a special wine offer:
five percent off for half a dozen.
Thought you’d like to know.”
© Peter Ulric Kennedy
Mr Parsons does the Quickstep
Impeccably groomed,
“Snips” taught Geography.
Lounge-lizard handsome,
dark blazer,
breast pocket handkerchief,
in the fifties
he impressed us
with his brown suede shoes.
As each lesson approached
we waited, silent
until that moment
when Snips came through the door
fishtailing his way to his desk
in strict tempo
precisely as if
Victor Silvester were there
with his Ballroom Orchestra.
With us boys.
© Peter Ulric Kennedy
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