Green
Every year he paints his fence green
One of the strongest shades
A fierce, military green
It marks the limits
Wooden panels, concrete posts
Overlooked by security lighting
Behind lies his garden
A paradise of greenery
Maintained lovingly
Adorned with flowers
Of every description
Once when he was away
I watered them
And I admired the beauty
And symmetry of it all
Taking care to allocate water
To the hanging baskets
In accordance with instructions
And to rewind the hose
Most carefully
Back at my weed choked corner
With its irregular hedges
And fading timber
I sit brooding on a plastic chair
Open another bottle
Light a cigar
Think unkind thoughts.
David Subacchi lives in Wrexham, North Wales. He was born in Aberystwyth of Italian roots and Cestrian Press has published two collections of his poems. ‘First Cut’ (2012) and ‘Hiding in Shadows’ (2014).
He is a member of Chester Poets and Liverpool’s Dead Good Poets. For more information click here Twitter@DavidSubacchi