POETRY: SHIT TOKENS BY PAUL TRISTRAM

He walked into the bar one afternoon

with a bunch of flowers in one hand

and a box of chocolates in the other.

Ordered a pint and started writing

something beautiful and heartfelt

inside a carefully chosen greeting card.

There were three familiar regulars

standing s few feet away nursing

warm, flat beer and talking noisily

and passionately about tits and football.

“Hey, I didn’t know it was Sian’s birthday,

how old is she now…forty what?”

“It’s not her birthday and you know

how old she is you were in her class!”

“What’s all that gay crap for then,

been up to no good have you, nice one?”

“Are you really making fun of me

for loving my wife, are you serious?”

“Nah, just wondering why you’re buttering

her up with ‘Shit Tokens’ is all, mate?”

“Because she is beautiful, that is why.

If you had a wife instead of your parents

spare bedroom whilst almost touching fifty

then just maybe you would understand!”

Written by Paul Tristram

Available to buy via Lulu