From his bed in the capital city

If he props up his pillows
he can see through a gap in the curtains
and spends the day
watching people get in

and out of cars
indicating left
swerving to avoid a dustbin bag
that has blown into the road.

He sees a man paint a garage door
sky blue
the same colour as the bedroom ceiling
of the house he grew up in.

A van delivers groceries
to the old lady who was in the local newspaper
after biting the arm of her mugger.
She waits at the doorstop
as a man carries bags down the driveway.

Soon it is afternoon. Then twilight.
Then street lamps
and the city disappears.
He sleeps a little
then at 4 wakes
as the postman's alarm beeps
a milkman eats cereal
the dustbinman stands by the shower
checking the temperature of the water.