Sighs Ten

They howled a holy, holy howl
Coyotes calling to the sun
Those two boys together clinging
On a rooftop in San Fran

A lover even greater
Than the great Jack Kerouac
My breath catches for a beat
And I sigh a sigh as I realise
His name was Peter

My midnight assignation
With a sexy, sweet blond Saffa
But no spooning by moonlight this time
Feeling cheated, I weep to sleep

In the morning I need reminding
Who is this knight in shining underpants?
I know I know his name
Seems rude to ask, but I ask again
I sigh a sigh as I realise
His name was Peter

I’m sorting through old toys
No time for sentiment as I decide
Which ones to keep, which ones to dump
Childhood memories lost in dust

A rabbit in a light blue jacket
Sucking on a carrot
His label laughs at me in stitches
I sigh a sigh as I realise
His name was Peter

‘Hey, how are you honey?’ my old housemate replies
‘Oh, you know, bearing up.
Listen, I called to ask a favour.’
‘Sure baby, what can I do to I help?’

So Sina lets me scour his sketches
Peruse his pictures for one I can use
Towards the latest in the line of my harebrained schemes
A document of my written dreams

I’m strangely drawn to a certain drawing
Of a Polish lad sat on the tube
I think he looks a bit like me
Then notice a note scrawled beside it that I hadn’t seen
I sigh a sigh as I realise it says:
‘His name was Peter’

My friend David is one of my heroes
It’s his art that drives his heart
He doesn’t believe in coincidence
But simple synchronicity
Time's tarot dealt with a dash of destiny

But I wish he hadn’t told me that
As I try and ignore the signs
That hover all around me
Slowly maddening my swirling mind

I’m shopping for my birthday party
I knew he’d never attend
Give me the gift of his presence
Never meet my friends

At the checkout, there he is
I’m invisible once again
A tin of pineapple in my fist
That tightens as I resist
Smashing it into the skull
I once found a precious treasure

As I pack my bags
He walks away
A stranger in a superstore
I sigh a sigh
His name was Peter


Copyright Marcus Reeves (c) 2011