SMUG-GLE
I thought I was liberal,
very non-judgemental,
yet I counted the minutes
his yashmack covered wife
spent in that toilet.
Studied his thumb
flicking the buttons
of a silver i-pod,
expecting leg room
in economy class
to increase by 20000 feet.
While my ears
strained strange language,
I hoped the trolley dolly's
liquor cart would
calm frayed nerves-
but no, of course,
they took no drink.
On disembarking,
I watched them
dissolve into the throng,
lifted my luggage,
briefly wondered where
such prejudice had been hidden,
dismissed it,
and like everyone else had
'Nothing To Declare'............
===============================================
WAR ZONE
She's staring blankly
at the day's carnage.
The mourning, the wailing-
women cloth covered
exposing only grief.
She wants to leave
and take her children,
is sick of living in fear
but has nowhere to go.
Suddenly, another
attack is launched.
Before losing consciousness
she hears her toddler's
pathetic whimpers,
her husband screaming-
"Why are you watching 'The News',
where's my fuckin' dinner?"
======================================
THE FORGOTTEN
Apparently you were a drinker,
a heavy one;
we heard about your consumption,
and a sad history,
as the belly opened
with the psssst of a can
to show rotten innards.
Some looked away,
a few walked out,
I was ok
though glad the
face was covered.
We spilled to sunshine,
gasps of air.
Most said it was the smell,
the gore had been seen before
in horror flicks 'n' documentarys.
For me it was Jill ;
your amateur tattoo now mind fixed,
its faded J
hooking and holding dead meat,
and for a short while at least
making you more than that......
--Chris Major
Chris Major lives in Staffordshire and is training as a Psychiatric Nurse.
Poetry in UK print magazines including:Outposts,Pennine Platform,Poetry Nottingham,Iota, Poetry Monthly etc.
Online at amongst others:Snakeskin,Poetry Kit,Psychopoetica,Poetry Worm,Zygote,Babyclam Undergroundvoices,High Horse,Lit Vision etc.
Print chapbook www.whiteleafpress.co.uk
Online chapbook http://lilylitreview.com/chapbooks.html