My head is surrounded
by the familiar twang of Alright?
as I walk through shipwrecks of kisses
with confused tongues, step off
planks into awkward conversations,
pretend to enjoy rum at house parties.
I am a pirate again
with a parrot on my shoulder
doing all of the talking for me,
making me appear in charge.

© Carl Burkitt 2022

There is not a BMX or pair of Vans
in this barn. He is not wearing Kurt Cobain jeans
and his top button is done up. I just saw him
tuck his shirt in. A guy I know who once ate pizza
in his pants in my living room is Tweeting
about a few-day residential he’s just been on
with his primary school. He’s drinking ale
because he is old enough to be a teacher.
Brimful of Asha just came on
and I’m wondering if I’m going to be wedgied.

© Carl Burkitt 2022

Squirrels do not understand
the word nut
but they wake up every morning
to find one.
You are standing
outside of a Papa John’s Pizza place
in the middle of the day
telling me you want some steps
to reach the moon.
I have a heavy carrier bag
and say we need to go home,
the apples of my imaginition
dropping one by one
to the floor.

© Carl Burkitt 2022

The man with the same length hair
on his head as the hair on his chin
is sitting in the café with an unopened pot
of Kenco coffee on the table in front of him.
A back up plan? A threat? Who knows?
His colleague is at the counter
ordering two skinny lattes from his balmed lips.
The man with the same length hair
on his head as the hair on his chin
is looking out of the window.
Bored? Excited? Who knows?
His feet are tapping along to Kelly Clarkson.

© Carl Burkitt 2022

Her friends don’t know
whether she’s talking with pride or concern.
She takes a sip of her tea, dabs her mouth
with a cotton hanky from her cardigan sleeve.
That’s enough about mine, she says,
how are your pups doing?

© Carl Burkitt 2022

There’s a train running through ASDA.
It sounds like a steam engine but
it’s wearing red corduroy trousers,
a pink t-shirt with a white shark,
gently scuffed navy blue trainers,
and a pair of striped yellow socks.
It doesn’t know where it’s going
but it’s trying it’s very best
to find me the egg aisle.

© Carl Burkitt 2022

A circular skylight sits in the ceiling
pretending it’s the only thing
shining light on everything. The warm breakfast
butter curls like a long lost hug
next to pancakes as soft as bedding.
Uninvited mushrooms pop up in the garden
and are welcomed with a wave;
this place is not just dog friendly.
A toddler is outside chasing bubbles
desperate for the fun to never pop.

© Carl Burkitt 2022

According to their email
there is a seat waiting with my name on.
I could go anywhere
for just a few quid, except here
where the hills are thumbs up
and blue tractors pop to the shops for milk,
a place where the roads are spaghetti
and the sheep have never heard of bills.
There’s a tree here with apples
who nod their heads hello
when you arrive.
I’m not sure how we got here
but I’m sure it involved sweat and tears.

© Carl Burkitt 2022

I mishear a kid’s song
and see you in a cartoon cloud
yelling at my thoughts to change
before it’s too late.

© Carl Burkitt 2022

Careful. Slowly. Hold on to the side.
Careful. Gently. Use your hands.
We don’t need to do that. Careful.
Gently. Hold on. Slowly. Careful.
On and on we talk to ourselves
hoping not to hurt ourselves again.

© Carl Burkitt 2022