Over seas

Shatter rattle panicked
Posh boots full of wet
leather gloves cunning hats won't save me now
bootless I've fallen into enemy territory*

I've gone ass-over-teacups
(Those were my grandmother's teacups!)
into the drink.

This is not my beautiful house,
This is not my beautiful life*

I'm over seas,
portless storming,
upperclass refugee
with furniture that won't fit in the hold
and cursing captains all round.
Anna had a lot of courage.*

My soul spells semaphores
at landmasses
clutching at metaphors
flotsam jetsam bits and bobs

with what dignity's left
surface paddling
trying for calm unruffled
I've got all the chances of a mallard
flagging down a passing dreadnought

My home's been stolen
all my clever storage solutions
gone to naught -
I'm filing wet papers.

I'm all at sea
This wind's run away with me.


* "Birthday" by M.T. Buckley
*"Once in a Lifetime" by the Talking Heads
* "The King and I"