stupid fucking day

it started out bad, with a melancholic morning

drifting in on grey clouds

the dog wagged its tail at the passing women laconically

and they walked past the house

the reprints were late

really late

so i had to

go for a smoke to kill time. had to

and i messed up three games of sudoku

and you realize they’re messed up only right at the end

like love

and then they were messed up

the colours all wrong

the reprints

nobody would give

the little old guy with the twisted legs

and screwed up eyes

a lift

to just a little way down the road

did he have friends? family? there? a wife?

and when he finally did get the lift

you should’ve seen him struggling onto the back of that bike

the galleries obviously didn’t want them

they wouldn’t even if the colours weren’t so off

we’re not taking any new artists

was the politest response

no space

maybe later

put in a requisition

make a submission

the committee will decide

whatever

they were all nos

obviously

the woman unconsciously touched her lips in that gesture

when your foot touches someone

when she brushed past the sleeping dog

then the guy tried to stamp it away

some people just don’t get dogs

and he had only one good eye

the dog

forget the traffic

it was worse than usual

people overtaking me just to cut me off

or stop short

and then the chain came off

as i was racing past a bus

on a flyover

the only person dressed like me

all day

was the mad woman at the red light

and now the stupid fucking pomeranian

won’t shut up when it knows that it’s just tied up all day

and ignored

it won’t stop jumping in place

jingling it’s stupid fucking chain

while she talks to someone at the gate

sit still stupid dog

this world is just not for twisted-legged little old guys

struggling artists

and stupid fucking poms