Bill and Old Dames 2023.

When two elderly women 

enter the lounge of the Lodge 

Bill turns and gazes at them 

as they sit next to each other

in old armchairs. 

He acknowledges them 

with a slight inclination of his head 

then turns his head 

and gaze to the scene 

outside the window 

and inhales smoke 

from here cigarette. 

The old dames 

have disturbed his quiet 

with their quiet chatter. 

His own late mother 

was like that 

full of chatter 

about things 

that didn't to him matter. 

She would talk 

of a neighbour's daughter 

going off the rails 

or the price of beef 

and he would have just 

silenced someone 

for the Agency in Berlin 

and there was his mother 

talking so 

about so and so.