Walk a mile

Abandoned

High pitched squalls fade to
low hiccoughing breaths as
exhaustion battles fear...
and wins.

Shadows lengthen against dirty
brickwork, and the skittering and
buzzing of insects melds into
the tread of worn soles against
grubby concrete.

Weary legs trudge with single-minded
purpose as workers head home,
lured by the promise of warm
meals and squishy armchairs...

And as the child sleeps, the world
sweeps past, and the bundle of
off-white cloth goes unnoticed by
dull eyes wearing social blinkers.


Free verse. Written 19 August 2017.