Chewing gum sits on the train seat
like anybody who has ever sat on a train seat,
looking out the window counting trees
silently whistling to forget how its brain
is stuck on the same track. Did you remember
the kitchen roll, the potatoes? Don’t forget
to double check everyone knows where you’re
going. Keep going. Get jammed in the teeth
of a commuter hoping to wipe away
the smell of raw red onion from a sandwich
on the go. It might be worth checking
the man opposite has finished with his
bottle of juice before you head to the toilet
because I think there’s a bin near the door.
Keep an ear out for your phone
in case you’re ever free.

© Carl Burkitt 2022