SKYARTUK

night bus

that guy with the greasy hair,
the ginger beard,
why do I only
ever see him on buses?

the windows reflect
a hundred of him,
a whole army of ginger apparitions,
I wonder where he works?

old women cough, 
a German reads Die Zeit,
"she's a blonde, big-titted bitch."

so many orbits,
somehow it still hangs together,
laughter falling like dandruff
from a greasy head.

the big city

theres nothen for me here
however hard ah try
connecten people
pass me bye
unnoticed transparent
as the 'Issue seller
have drifted in fae the country
ah bump up on the pavement
trip o'er people

swimmen intae the flow
apologisen fir goen the wrang way
aye invisible
avoidable smile
talks only required
fir some transaction or ither
this time o' year
mair hospitable
they forgotten ice strewn hills
sure it a' happens here
now cant deny
the citys rule
the renewal flowen
o' sae much held dear
a' we needs a poet

spread dream wide as the night
deep as history
not the seannaichaidh
raven in a shop doorway
callen down his story
so loud we cant hear
his guarden angel
confirm the hurricanes 
promised will someday
howl down such rain
flush they sandstone canyons
so nothens left there.

Stolen Heart

He's a slow thief yawning.
He picks the early morning.
He comes in with the milk.
It's always later than he thinks.

He's a big fan
of a four letter band.
He keeps pens that don't work
in his bag for work.

Scum nights spent chewing a zinger.
No space to masturbate with a finger.
"Excuse me playing the tease,
spare any change please?"

It's an illusion
life has a conclusion.

lyin awake

breath of traffic
in cold chill,
headlights sweep 180,
a tractor-beam
catchin me again
in its thought-stream,
silent as the dark is loud
when the light has passed
an ah remain

Edge

He says, "Where're you from?"
Time makes us numb.

I try to compensate
for turning up late
by wearing jewellery
by the crate.

From Paris to Peking we jump a taxi into town
chasing whiskies to down.

He straightens my hat
says, "Don't worry, I like that."

Through holes in my jeans
he shows me what he means.