edinburgh ease

swaying in a hollowed out bus
there’s a painted silver lady dancing
pouring spirits and off brand coke into plastic cups
the thin kind that bend inwards with a squeeze
strangers giggling melting smiles with ease

a concoction brews of love and beer
eyes pave bonds without stranger fear

there’s an unspoken glossy eyed connection
a warmth without the need for touch
and as a man sits down on a worn out stool next to the worn out piano
squeezed into the gaps of the hollowed out bus

there’s silence

he then presses the pads and they heat up in the moonlight
familiar songs
set a memorable highlight

still,
in the beginning
i’m sat there
noticing the seats surrounding are made of that vinyl
the scritchy kind that make that fizzy sound
when you drag your finger nails across it

my eyes are glossing over
and in an attempt to stop my house of cards from caving in

i look up

skin is faded and stained thin
capped off scraps dangle from the soles of worn-out shoes
wine-stained teeth still blind with shine in the gaps of grins
warmth is bustled up in envelopes
with the flaps sealed tightly in
souls dance through familiarity
knuckles glow numb with the worn out breeze
it flits through the bits of the buses broken windows
brown rum burns our throats with bliss and ease

so i’m sitting there
singing christmas songs with strangers in the middle of august
someone’s just found a cheap guitar that’s missing a string
and all i can do is chin up, smile and sing

because all of a sudden i get this overwhelming feeling that there’s a warmth in not knowing
in just going with the fluctuations of it

because we all know what ‘it’ is
we all hold it there
in the deep dark pits of our heads
artists together
living on the need to please

but right here right now

i’m just holding out for ease