Underground Impressions

Scream of metal on metal,
 

curved track, crowded,

 

enclosed station.

Stale, industrial air makes

nasal excretions black,

aching head pound.

Face shocked,

she double-checks, looks away,

reacts to the smile I give her.

Man playing tube guitar,

asking for small donations,

greeted with stony faces.

Ad encouraging us to

“Do what no-one else does on the tube – talk!”

advertises mobile phones...

This is the London underground.

This is the weekly grind.

This is life, people!

So give us a smile

 

once in a while.

I'll try to smile back.

BY JEANETTE JONES