Time Bomb

Jittery as the jitter bug
his eyes dart left,
right and left again.
Green cross code
back to front,
front to back.

They're watching him.
His head jerks.
He snatches a cigarette.
Flicking the ash every second.
Flicking, flicking, flicking.
Ticking.

Foot taps in time.
Nervous cough.
He's ticking too fast.
Speeding with the pedal
pressed to the floor.
Engine screaming.

The boy is vapour.
Nobody has noticed him.
He's in the corner,
about to crash.
And everybody laughs.
And nobody notices him leave.