Maybe a diver whose toes
are like talons
on the edge of a platform
would feel how I feel
when I see Embankment station
down the street
on my way home from the office,
the sky – a dark ocean blue.

There are so many people
going my way,
the other way,
crossing the bridge up ahead,
it’s like I’m a leaf in a brook,
riding the current,
bumping into rocks
and severed branches
as the end of my journey
draws nearer…

And now, I’ve seen everything:
there is a man
reading out loud
in the middle of all this
pedestrian traffic!
It’s definitely fiction and
I wouldn’t be surprised
if he’s plugging
his own book…

If today were Friday, 
things might be different.
I could see myself 
standing to one side, 
listening to him, 
wondering how much his book 
retails for…
But it’s not Friday.
Tomorrow morning,
I’ll be walking
on the other side of the street
as I make my way back to the office.

By Sigh Wan

22/02/2025 – finalised 20/06/2025