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