A CASUAL PICK

It all began with a casual pick
by the man sitting opposite me
on the train home last night
at first hardly noticeable
it grew to be a performance
involving both nostrils
which was quite a sight

Some efforts were hard fought
and were flicked triumphantly
to a growing mound on the floor
while others more sizeable
were rolled into balls and
thrown high up into the air
before being lovingly placed
in a brown bread sandwich

All this wasn’t appreciated
by the other passengers
who were mostly aghast
but then their noses
began to twitch as well
and some surreptitiously
had a bit of a pick
and soon the whole carriage
was furiously picking away

And then the man’s head
started to shrink right
before there very eyes
and it soon began to
resemble a withered prune
so they all stopped picking
and felt a little bit silly
and went back to fiddling
with their new digital devices
or gazing out the train window

Glen Ewing

A CASUAL PICK

It all began with a casual pick

by the man sitting opposite me

on the train home last night

at first hardly noticeable

it grew to be a performance

involving both nostrils

which was quite a sight

Some efforts were hard fought

and were flicked triumphantly

to a growing mound on the floor

while others more sizeable

were rolled into balls and

thrown high up into the air

before being lovingly placed

in a brown bread sandwich

All this wasn’t appreciated

by the other passengers

who were mostly aghast

but then their noses

began to twitch as well

and some surreptitiously

had a bit of a pick

and soon the whole carriage

was furiously picking away

And then the man’s head

started to shrink right

before there very eyes

and it soon began to

resemble a withered prune

so they all stopped picking

and felt a little bit silly

and went back to fiddling

with their new digital devices

or gazing out the train window

Glen Ewing