Louche Old Man in Tartan Trousers
Swaggering up Upper St
Denim jacket
Wild grey hair
70 if a day
Heading to the Hope and Anchor?
Dragging on a Soubrani
What have you lived through?
Slick liner eyes
Satin snake drooped round your neck
Slithering on stage in the 70s?
Then pinned and studded
The trousers strap-legged
Hanging with Viv and Malcolm?
Bassist in a dozen bands?
Popping pills sporadically?
Bowery and you always in at Taboo?
First at the Dirtbox?
Beatifically smiley Ibiza parteees?
All night up in Heaven?
Tatted and pierced beneath?
Soho clubs? Muse to Lee McQueen? East end art collective? GQ Stylist? Spoken word rap poet?
And when you were with all
Your lovers, partners, friends
Did your cool always keep you warm at night?
And in the day?
Vivien Thomason has recently retired and resumed writing poetry after 40 years of having her creativity totally sapped by the fashion industry. She is particularly focused on themes of family, feminism, art and nature. This is her first submission ever.