a year past

(i)
This man's eye sockets protrude
their ridged roundness showing everyone the view held
by all chimpanzees
barking laughing
from high jungle branches.
He shuffles with red ribbon scarf against winter's teeth
and the hooded youths mock,
aping movements as they part on the pavement.

(ii)
This man places four clocks even 
along a shelf he made himself
from iron and wood 
salvaged from the scrapheap
where he patted a friendly dog
and spoke jovially with the owner
of simpler times.

Each clock was different,
times carefully set to mark 
those hours and minutes in the cities
where his lost loves had breathed their last.

Alexis