Paul Brookes writes

Hashish

Hijab covered she arrives

at my till with her two young girls

"What is that smell?" She exclaims

"Hashish", I answer.

Her small kids hold close to her dress.

"There should be a law.

Especially with kids around.

They shouldn't have to suffer this."

The aroma of the previous male customer

still hangs around after she's left.

-- Tsewang Nuru Sherpa

Paul Brookes writes

Expect Discrepancy

between

how you're dragged up

and how it is.

different sides

of your face,

what you think folk think

And how it is.

what you know

And how it is.

what is known

And how it was then.

How these words mean

and how they were meant.

Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler -- Pablo Picasso

 Ambroise Vollard -- Pablo Picasso

Paul Brookes writes

A Queued  

Life. Born to this line
Of cotted bairns,

Crocodiled infants,
Slumped with others outside

A locked classroom,
Marshalled exams desks,

Job interview staring at strangers,
Ranked at work,

Drs, dentists waiting rooms,
appointmented even my wedding.

Waiting list for a council house,
Parents evening lined up with others

Listed as deceased in papers, online.
Regimented plaque for my cremation.

As that world ends another begins.
Join another queue, another thought

of final judgement already delivered,
or forever pended.

The New Build Council Houses -- Melissa Pentney