Chicken

Harry’s staring at his chicken He’s trying hard to listen without hating But everything David says Seems to make him like him less His little brother Pete is waiting For the appropriate place to say ‘Oh right, yeah’ And make an interested face Miriam feels distant She knows her sons are trying hard But trying hard Just increases the friction It’s never been tense like this Harry looks around at his mother’s new kitchen And can’t help but think of his dad Alone in that house where they all used to live Putting his half pint of semi-skimmed Back into the fridge Dad With his silent ways And his smiling face No romance, just basic Straight forwards, no frills, no fuss But at least he was a man you could trust Not like this guy, this David Face like a pill head at the end of a rave Staring at my mum like he wants to be saved Harry feels weak today, he can’t take it And he doesn’t know it but he’s glaring Thinking of Becky And why he insisted on sharing So much with a stranger He feels a faint sense of danger Ashamed that he’d made a Fool of himself, he’s an idiot Sees it in his mind’s eye, insidious Him, spilling out his guts like a suicidal shogun Looking for deliverance Dithering fool feeling silly and hopelessly broken Blithering on while she was smoking What was he thinking? Heart opening up like it was blinking Becky. He feels her name, it’s heavy Don’t forget me Snap back to the room He flinches at the image Miriam is finishing her wine And Pete is asking for the spinach ‘Er, how’s work, Harry?’ David’s features are tipped towards him ‘Fine, thanks,’ Harry looks up, ‘exhausting.’ ‘Yes,’ David smiles, ‘but hard work is always rewarding.’ Even David’s enthusiasm is boring ‘How long have you worked there?’ he asks And Harry thinks of all them years he’s spent Scheming and shotting ‘Little while, now. To be honest, I’ve forgotten.’ ‘Oh yes, well time does fly in the work place,’ David smiles, nodding All he ever wanted to be was good enough All he ever wanted to say was the right thing But as long as you live for the way you’re perceived You will never create, only bite things All he ever wanted to do was the done thing All he ever wanted to make was the grade But as long as you live for other people’s opinions You’ll never be more than afraid