Covid Walk

thermometer reads zero, a chilly breeze blows apple cores thrown, the blackbirds feed my multi-layered partner dons her wooly hat impatiently, she waits for me securing covid masks amidst my overcoat house keys retrieved, ...... so nearly there is the back door locked? check again, a second time what about the fire? have a look cosy flames dance and flicker safe behind the guard exasperated sighs are heard front door opens, grounded dream-machine still dreaming electric line from window draped charge my weary brain, way to go, save the planet plug-in thoughts for our next road trip kick back some gravel over the driveway riser we did this when covid clapping dark-haired Peggy, her blinds are down, we wonder why no need to raise alarm, just yet did we lock that door? looks exchanged, surely we did which route to take? follow the sun round the corner, through the alley, any road up uneven footpath, service scars no sign of our chatty lady, her man's unwell house of gnomes, where's the yappy dog? where's the guy with silly shorts and sillier quips? main road's quiet, saunter across seagulls and crows beside the bottle vomit bank groups of walkers, black bags in hand ball-scoops and assorted hounds, gym people stretching man in front, pull that long lead in! tennis for the young, the old and the very cold trees line where the ground is leaking man staring skywards intently, don't disturb him footfall behind, bunch of runners heavy breathing, vapour trail hangs, glad they're gone noisy terns, they scrap for breadcrumbs whilst ducks and geese mutter 'bout intelligence one nudges a branch through water jumps up, spins it, exposes lichen for the drake black waterbirds loiter close by avian flight splashes down with feathers ruffled they are fluffy youngsters no more child in adjacent playground screams as time stands still softened surface, its cries subside caged bird, imagine being imprisoned there like beach-plucked asylum seekers kept apart, kind captors walking by, looking in drainage channel under the bridge a weir catches detritus, the tunnel entrance do any ducklings make it through? rear of grand houses overlook, privileged view bandstand and gun memorial ghosts of war, forty thousand descendants patrol library of the nearby past fresh confident face, the old ways surely banished freedom for 'yoga-lycra' legs " get out of the new one if you can't lend a hand " power to wee Norwegian girl pull out big weeds, climatic tangles in our hair floods and bad weather expected empty heads, their cans strewn across the bowling green who let them out again last night? smiling lady clings to zimmer-frame, measured step just like captain Tom, flying high squirrels dart up and down, a pair of magpies hop " Saturday night at the duck-pond " dancehall, beehived girls, some were pretty, some were not the theatre of pleasing form colleges, schools, testosterone driving antics on over to the bigger park magnificent trees, there's multiplex and bingo civic castle near the station museum, walled-garden, woods where dinosaurs play gargantuan leisure centre eerie stillness, ...... yet another day for covid next empty pitches climb the hill gaze forever across the sea to Ailsa Craig volcanic plug, snowy mountains land of memory, haggis neaps and cullen-skink hear distant voices on the wind ominous clouds, our home is not too far away cut through the dip to light beyond meet Danny and his pup, there's talk of camper vans no mother's run, just running mums where's the r-plate school kids, their pavement mounted cars? fewer engines to puff and fume near our gate, relief to see dark-haired Peggy wave moggy cat slinks by, guilty look we stumble in, feel the warmth, our fire is lit shut the door, keep the virus out but then, ...... our little man may not be here today it is then, ...... we hear the silence then, ...... our letter-box rattles, parcel poking through then, ...... thoughts of our family missed then, ...... think of covid in that far-off village land then, ...... think of friends who battle on then, ...... think of plans, muddle past this uncertainty then, ...... think of coffee, think of lunch then, ...... watch wet snow slither down the window-pane then, ......stoke the fire, then, ...... fall asleep