Monday, 3 August 2026

iced steps

 iced steps


cold the understanding 

that blue knees in shorts need speed

need an adventure to warm the heart


four

long wide concrete steps slid

gracefully down to the black path

that disappeared into the dusk


we need a slide to toboggan our bums

as fast as the speed of delight 

brought the thought from someone

ice 


and the ice that we needed was frozen water


each with an empty milk bottle we tripped

back and forth across the road

to a tap behind the terrace houses

opposite to its intention we took

no time at all to pour sin upon the steps

and froze retribution into grimace


finished

when along ran my cousin

promptly to slip and fall

and spray blood on one and all

as his howl ran home

our laughter tobogganed

the flag of bravado at full mast


a night to slip into memory 

and freeze

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