PORCHES OF SUBURBIA

 

She's delivering leaflets again,

urging residents to oust their charlatans

who'll vote through a bad deal

then claim they had no choice.

 

The people here are house proud,

they all have pretty porches and loiter

in back rooms until they think she's gone

then emerge to examine the leaflet.

 

In her old country they'd be outside

at this hour, chatting, playing backgammon,

sitting on foldaway chairs but here

they do their best to avoid each other.

 

Cats are the same all over the world

sneaking round and poised on car roofs,

small dogs nip her fingers as she forces

leaflets through the stiff black brush

 

and occasionally she comes across

an empty house with a pile of letters,

cards and junk mail in the porch;

vacated homes to skip and pass on by.

 

 

Published in The Open Mouse webzine, February 2018