Etched on a Bench

Me siiting on a bench in my favourite park at 7am on a sunday morning  watching the sun coming up through the mist. I imagined me painting what I'm seeing but I'm not an artist, I'm more a dreamer . Birdsong surrounded me, I admired their happiness. The river flowed slowly on its jourmey, the quiet rippling on the calming water. I often whisper to the trees, particularly the tall ones I think they carry more wisdom like old teachers full of wisdom. I sometimes feel I'm as old as them without the knowledge. I waved at a squawking crow as it flew close to me. The bench of choice has had a long life the wood was tired and aching with creaks. I imagined lovers sitting here in the past. I put my hand on the arm of the bench and got stabbed with a splinter.

Someone had recently etched a message applied a blunt knife. 'Lucy loves Jakes' was the message which reminded me of an old etching that my friend Kenny when we were teenagers many years ago. His etched bench piece read 'Rachel Slater is a bitch' because she dumped my friend the previous day. I tried to console him he was upset and I said it's not the end of the world. He looked at me and said it might not be the end of the world but look at this, he rolled his sleeve up to show a brand new tattoo with fresh scabs from the needle. that said Rachel is my angel forever. Silly Bastard.

(C)JMN