He took off quickly
Climbed even quicker
Until he settled
Then leaned slowly
Into a wide circle
As was his routine
I had asked before
What was that noise
In front of the house
Above the house
Behind the house
Within the house
I was not reassured
No matter
What others felt
About her well-managed
Lack of
An appropriate response
Of course she heard me
Those shuttered eyelids
Told their own story
Of a saleswoman
Or fighter pilot
On estate duty
On Bluestone Heath road
Keeping away from the house
While the estate agent
Tries his very best to sell it
Instead a circular tour
(Except one road was closed)
To the three towns
Nearest to Revesby Estate
I am no town planner
But to have a toilet block
With all four doors locked
Seems to be an extravagance
Is this a prime example
Where the private sector
Could make more use
Of a town centre asset
Have I ever been so sociable
Agreeing to everything
The salesman suggests
Could I have quibbled
Tried harder
For more of a bargain
Will I forgive myself
In the fulness of time
I didn’t even go for a test drive
The sky is white and grey
Embellished by the remnants
Of a giant smoke ring
Which says quite a bit
About my day
What with all this stillness
We don’t sell date slice
I was in no position to argue
Yes you can have a muesli slice
How could I complain
But what about the coffee
Yes it is Americano
And the red brick church
Was it built by the founding fathers
You may have to go to the bookshop
To find the answer to that one
You mean the place which no longer has a café
But I have already been there
Best find yourself a bench then
There’s one at the cross roads
What about Cornish pasties
I thought I saw one in the window
I’m afraid they’re beef my love
And baked right here in Lincolnshire
Should I go back I wonder
To complement her
On the confectionery or the conversation
There is a history
Which you too may be able to recollect
Of the things done in this life
Less is known, or so we presume
Of those challenges or events for which
You were turned down or chose not to attend
Yet for certain we know that on the great canvas
Your part has been infinitesimally small
Even by those most generous of observers
Of course you may say what if
If you had been successful at grammar school
If you had gone to Christ's College Cambridge
Or perhaps you would have preferred
To make it as a professional footballer
Playing for Sheffield Wednesday
That said, what about today
Eating flapjack, drinking coffee, on a bench
In Lincolnshire’s elegant straight through town
