A cheeky half at The Dove
wait for Nas to enter stage left
broken down train from Leeds
emergency lap of the park
and rounds at The Earl
are now so many years from
your feet up as the kids sleep
tired from a day of playgrounds
face-painting each other as bears
and crayoning the perfect portraits
but give the random jesting texts
hotlines of perspective and support
memories of business trips East
and sporadic seaside visits depth
assuring when the time is right
there’ll be more riverbank rosé
overpriced spring onion starters
walks home rapping The Score
and new jokes to repeat on blast.