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Cart tracks
no stone the bone man
bucket and horse creak-worried wheels
wood seat arse-glazed smooth
two coats three coats one if it shines
bag canvas looks like straw leaking oats
"a-bone!" breathing over and over
false scot the milk man
pavillioned white van and dirty hands
glass clack crate clash
smiles
at
little
boys
"milk-o!" with no need
no back the coal man
sack fold iron weight hold
red eye fires in black skin face
white teeth is all
no call just tip
"live-o!" cold the fish man
hand crack lost smile
solemn as a dead cod's eye
ice crunch growing paler
growing smaller
growing hollow
as his cough with blood in it
bright smile the post man
boy-whistle whistle-man
pacing postcards and thin blue letters
chasing dogs and aiding betters
running with hounds playing with horses
following fortune
"post-o!" clatter the door
gurdy turn the hurdy man
peg leg placing
small cup angle
turn a'jangle
spin a'tangle
bead chains sparkle
and the tune-merry goes round
cake breath the bread man
tall doors yeasty shelves
flour bag basket over arm dancing
path tread door knock
tin split and a cross-wrapped roll
"y-bara! y-barrrrrraaaaah" no-one knows
but i know now
summer white dust falls quiet
between hedge privet lines
three-quarter doors
wait
Somerset March 24, 1999
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