Greenlane Poetry

Charlie

By Invitation

At the Prince of Wales
I have been made life member of
The Club of Empty Chairs

There ia no application form
nor formal interview or rules
that must be learned

But there's the expectation that
some night at bench or table
a chair has been upturned

Charlie got by for many years and then he died
If that does not say much for
his whole story
well If there was ever interest strong enough
apart from liking beer and fish and chips
to stamp him with some character, to say
What Charlie was I couldn't tell

So Charlie lived his life and yet
On days like this he might have thought
But never chose to show
Before and after fresh spring rain had stirred the earth
To steam with life in yellow light
How truly beautiful life is
Perhaps, perhaps - but I don't know