Another Cope

waking early
listening to
birdsong watching
the curtains brighten
like a shirt
washed in Omo
feeling the empty
space besides me thinking of you


crawling out of
bed searching
for my glasses
piles of clothing
on the carpet
none of it yours

alone in the toilet
with the Harpic
and the Andrex
thinking of you

eating my cornflakes
plastic flowers on
the windowsill green
Formica table lovesong
on the radio bacteria
in the drainpipe
thinking of you

going
up
stairs
again
and
getting
dressed

think-
ing
of
you

thinking
of you your pink
nylon panties
and your blue
nylon bra
Body Mist
hairsmell of Silvikrin
shampoo and your white
nylon panties

thinking of you


Strugnell in Liverpool by Wendy Cope