harbouring thoughts of escape by Matthew J. Hall

I walked the riverside route yesterday
listened to the water and the clinking
of moored boats

wondered about sea gulls who stand so close to the edge
wondered about the undercurrent, the temperature and drowning

If I fell in, I thought to myself
I wouldn’t have to go to work
I think I would rather go by the hands of the river
than the flames of the fire

maybe I wont drown, I considered
maybe I’ll just get wet and cold
a temporary solution
I’ll live on, but today something will have happened

I leant on the black railings
looked across the water at a young busker playing an old tune
a simple blues formation
she sang like a beautiful ghost
she sang about drowning and burning

I walked around the harbour and dropped some change in her hat
I wanted to tell her something, only I couldn’t find the words
but by the sound of her guitar and the shapes of her song
I have a deep running suspicion, that she already knew

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Matthew J. Hall is a writer who lives in Bristol, England. For more about him visit www.screamingwithbrevity.com