It’s World Poetry Day so a poem
Neighbour by Norman MacCaig
His car sits outside the house.
It never goes anywhere. Is it
a pet?
When he goes for his morning paper
he makes a perfect right-angle
at the corner.
What does he do at home? Sit at attention?
Or does he stay in the lobby
like a hatstand?
Does his wife know she married
a diagram? That she goes to bed
witha faded blueprint?
When I meet him
he greets me with a smile
he must have bought somewhere.
His eyes are two teaspoons
that have been emptied
for the last time.
(From The Poems of Norman MacCaig, edited by Ewan McCaig, 2005 p 432)
When I meet him
he greets me with a smile
he must have bought somewhere
That is heartbeakingly sad.
(Yes I am catching up..)