She’s talking about a dog
with an artistry her tongue takes for granted.
I know a plasterer who doesn’t know his arms
move smoother than a shooting star.
A football player on TV just welcomed a ball
on to the inside of his foot kicked from 70 yards away
softer than a parent waving goodbye to their child
as they pull out of the drive for the first time.
I watched a man volley an empty can of Coke
into a public bin a few years ago, he just walked
away to catch a bus and now he lives in my bones
whenever I feel I have nothing to do with my days.

© Carl Burkitt 2022