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Paul J Penton – Songwriter
“Release the Muse”
Fragments and thoughts May 24
Gas Leak
Man fixing some pipes
in front of the bakery
there’s a scar in the sidewalk
about one knee deep
the smell of gas
and a yellow hat
He works away in a faded green jacket
layers of dirt exposed
the story of the earth
diving through the concrete
as deep as your forearm
the pipes exposed
like an oil refinery
he’s acting like a nurse
bandaging them
with some sort of dressing
is that going to hold the gas I wonder?
More cursory digging
taking place
with a wooden handled spade
a funny thing to be using
in this day and age
surely they would all be plastic…
wouldn’t they?
Sunday mornings
Sunday mornings lying in bed
Letting the week drain out of my head
trying to guess
what it’s all been about
another working week
Chain smoker
A desperate smoker
comes out of the store
lighting his cigarette,
shielding the match
against the wind
keeping it out of his straggly hair
he’s about 60 plus by my reckoning
dressed down – a lot
might be on a pension
He’s keeping that match alight until the third puff
and as I walk past
I get a strong whiff of petrol vapour
mixed with nicotine in the air
right next to the petrol bowser
right next to where he’s just been standing
was it an accident waiting to happen?
His desperation
putting us at risk
in this situation?
I’m so preoccupied
that I drive off
without securing my petrol cap
or closing the door
someone gets out of their car
at the lights to alert me