#213 Kevin Brophy 'A Figure'

#213 A figure

The children in the dust

sailors stumbling from a boat

boys on a fence along a street 

girls in trees or high high windows 

figures in the distance dancing 

children fighting over rules in a game

rules in a game that hang men on gallows

Rain that walks all over roofs 

money taken and taken again 

women holding placards 

miners blinking out of sodden faces 

The millions in the banks 

and the millions on the banks 

someone coming home at last 

without a coin or word to give to anyone 

but coming home 

by walking down a road in sunlight plain as prayers

Beggars wanting almost nothing 

though it feels like everything 

As the slow day goes away 

in a doorway stands a waiting figure—