There are people living on this street,
Who are not
living in this street.
Which at
first glance
Seems like a
neat street,
Lined with houses
that are discreet,
Semi-detached
almost identical
Painted white
or cream,
Gable ends
ornamented
With pseudo-Tudor
beams.
And plenty
of shiny new cars
And four by
fours
Parked outside
or on driveways.
And then
there are the second-hand vans,
With old,
faded logos on the side
Left over from
when these vans
Were used to
deliver
Bread or jam
or glue or shoes.
Vans parked in
different places
On different
days.
Homes outside
houses
But one
small step up
From a cardboard
box shack
In a shop
doorway;
Or a tent
under the motorway.
But anyway,
A cold and
lonely way to get by
Semi-detached
from the semi-detached
Semi-detached
from society
By an inhuman
human economy.
