Joshua Hallam
I’m considering the stability of a fatally regular work week
dealing with Ken the duty manager’s poor breath
so I can afford to pick you up your own bit of capitalism
every drive home and when I walk in hollering honey, I survived another one
you can pop your new bit of the world on a shelf
not just any shelf, your shelf
so the best fucking shelf in the world
I have strong opinions on shelves now
I hope you’re happy, the infection is spreading
I said good mornin’ to a window cleaner today
and he started whistling a gay old tune –
have you ever seen a window cleaner ladder-on-shoulder
whistle a gay old tune? It’s sickening. I loved it. All gorgeous meaty bum notes
and arse-cleavage, in fact, I’ve found myself crashing office parties
for companies that I’d never usually look at twice just to complement
the karaoke and sex-joke decorum. The conversation and managerial cultures
are to die for so I’m CV-ing all over the place
in no time I’ll have a steady ‘til death junior position and we’ll have electricity
gas and council tax pouring out of our sweet sweet hearts
also I haven’t had a stone in my shoe for weeks
my coffee never goes cold, my pockets are fluffless
my sneeze reflex has been stunned away
and my overdraft has developed a wry and optimistic sense of humour
I’m so in love with you I’m going to remember
us like this and my National Insurance number forever
Joshua Hallam is a poet and facilitator from Derby. His work has been longlisted in the National Poetry Competition and Live Canon International Prize, and highly commended in the Shelley Memorial Prize. His work has been widely published and performed. He is the founder of Word Space and a graduate of the Poetry School MA Writing Poetry programme.
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