Brenda Talking

My mother would have had my guts for garters

—      eating cream cake in public!

But now it’s permissible to buy a bottle of Volvic

and drink it at a bus stop.

Snap back seats,

especially made to snap back

—      on the disabled!

I’m going to stop talking.

Everyone is looking at me.

What is that old woman doing?

Making a fool of myself —

just trying to keep my spirits up.

That’s all, you see,

you have to — or life is just too depressing.

I went to London.

Discovered that I

can no longer use

the escalators.

They’ve speeded them up,

or slowed me down.

Of course the ‘thing’

you hold on to, moves too.

Absolutely murderous!

I usually go up every six weeks

but I haven’t been in a while.

First time in three years.

I’ve been so ill.

I went to two exhibitions.

I was blown off Blackfriars Bridge.

Such a wind!

Hobbling along thinking —

I’ll never make it.

I never will.