The Wanderer of Golders Green

I awake each morning

With fresh hope

And tranquility;

I might go for a saunter

Down quiet London backstreets...

Soon my aimlessness

Depresses me,

And I realise

I'd been deceiving myself

As to my ability

To relax as others do.

I decided on a Special B

Before the eve.

I bought a lager

At the bar

And chatted to Gaye.

Then Ray

Bought me another.

I appreciated the fact

That he remembered

The time he,

His gal Chris,

And Cary downed

An entire bottle

Of Jack Daniels

In a Paris-bound train.

A tanned cat

Bought me a (large) half,

Then another half.

My fatal eyes

Are my downfall.

I drank yet another half...

My head was spinning

When it hit the pillow;

I awoke

With a terrible headache

Around one o'clock.

I prayed it would depart.

I slowly got dressed.

I was as chatty as ever

Before the exam...

French/English translation.

Periodically I put my face

In my hands or groaned

Or sighed -

My stomach

was burning me inside.

I finished my paper

In 1 hour and a half.

As I walked out

I caught various eyes

Amanda's, Jade's (quizzical) etc.

I went to bed;

Slept 'till five;

Read O'Neill until 7ish...

Got dressed,

And strolled down

To Golders Green,

In order to relive

A few memories.

I sang to myself -

A few memories

Flashed into my mind,

But not as many

as I'd have liked -

It wasn't the same.

It wasn't the same.

Singing songs brought

Voluptuous tears.

I snuck into McDonald's

Where I felt at home,

Anonymous, alone.

I bought a few things,

Toothpaste and pick,

Chocolate, yoghurts,

Sweets, cigarettes

And fruit juice.

Took a sentimental journey

Back to Powis Gardens,

Richness

And intensity,

Romantic

And attractive,

Sad, suspicious and strange.

I sat up until 3am,

Reading O'Neill,

Or writing (inept) poetry.

Awoke at 10,

But didn't leave

My room till 12,

Lost my way

To Swiss Cottage,

Lost my happiness.

Oh so conscious

Of my failure,

And after a fashion,

Enjoying this knowledge.