Goodnight, Goodbye.

He drives across town to a room

On Rainbow Hill

And sits in the car for a while

Staring at the raindrops on the windscreen

Which look like tiny planets in the darkness

And he feels like an astronaut

Weightless, about to take his first moon walk

But wishing he was tucked up safe in bed.

Then he goes inside, climbs the green stair carpet

Past the Torvil and Dean poster which says

'Let's face the music'

But does not mention any dancing,

And he comes to a door marked two

And is surprised when his key fits

But not that it is cold and dark

And smells stale

From the cigarettes downstairs.

Then he rolls a mattress and some blankets 

On the floor

And blocks up the fireplace with a blue

Flowery eiderdown

To give the spiders something to think about

And he takes his toothbrush and soap

Into the bathroom

And drops the towel on the floor

And trips over it in his muddy shoes.

Then he gets undressed and finds a place

To put his clothes

On a chair in the corner

And turns out the light and stands

At the window as if she might

Walk past at any moment perhaps lost and going

The wrong way down the street.

Then he lies awake wondering when the street light

Goes out, just as it does

And he hears people talking loudly

Coming up from the takeaway

On their way home

And then the wind and the rain

And a distant train coming

Straight towards him

Then veering off at the last moment.