Merryneum

Written during a period of economic and spiritual insecurity one morning between Christmas and New Year. Inspired by the startling, unsettling calls migrant geese and residents seagulls.

I still wince remembering a Monday between Christmas and Hogmanay and the honey-dripped honks of halting ephemeral geese heralding something which the hiss of the first Brew of the day slashed any real hope of whatever may have been happening that morning.. No records to play so I responded to their call with an acapella rendering of 'Whiskey Blues (Sittin' Here and Drinkin'). 

The velvet trim of the sill slowly being sewn by the emerging light salving the sore cracks of my sleeplessness and alighting the crushing, wroughty, somnambulistic ramblings of the howling night. The b*****d black dog’s barking had faded to a low droning incessant growl and I imagine it's chain. Taut. Straining. Like it's sinews.

The bedside lamp now blazes extraneously yet I am loath to switch off as I admire the ebony sunburst cast onto the wall by the unread pile of pregnant presents on the stand. I shudder, curse silently and cringe before snatching the fragrant faded warm towel from the press then tiptoe to piss with black heart and heavy chest. 

Eventually, downstairs, I turn on the radio just catching the coda of Tom Waits' Ol' 55. Just another Monday morning, The first boiled kettle begins hissing defiantly at this melancholy Merryneum. Those f*****g seagulls fanfaring their forlorn and perennial lament in fluent scorn. That dog is in its kennel. It's chain relaxed and coiled like lead t**d. Silence from within. 

© Davey Payne - 28.12.20 

Reviews

[gram linski]

I really enjoyed the style and syntax of this Davey, you are fairly spitting out the bile, melancholic and pissed off, haha, cool poem, dude,

[Davey Payne]

yes still an angry young man at heart so I am haha glad you like it pal, thanks! Glad you steered me towars this platform as well. Great so it is