…sheets of oily rain stream
from clouds grey
sullen bleak…
(But you would never greet!
Great valley of the High-rise flat!
Great valley of the dole queue!
Great valley of comforts class!
You never would greet!)
Great geriatric of Europe
Great invalid of Europe
Back stooped and crooked
Hands shivering in the cold
You romanticise your worth
Leaning into the cold
Facing it, head on,
Dreaming of your pension
Your prescription
Waiting for the 66 Bus to take
You to Alexandra Parade
Nervous
Lonely
Remembering you were young
No starling now with sparrow hands!
the dear green place has rotten through
and stlll you say
the tree never grew
the fish couldn’t swim
the bell never rang
the bird never sang
And Saint Mungo is dead in his Bungalow!
Wrap your old coat around you
Let Glasgow perish!