Step Outside

There is a man named Steven O'Toole in London

I can see him now as the sun goes down and long shadows rise

The summer’s heat stands on the telephone lines and roof spines

Daring the wind to push it to the cracking pavement

Dare to dance with the other devils

Meet sister in the July sky

Turn to the absence of light, the testimonies of well-laid plans

And dive through the cracks,

A midsummer’s veil over bricks and cement

With all its liquid air in heat, breathing

Filling you restless and drowsy

A teardrop both clinging and falling

Back to the cool river

Take me back to the dreams

It’s just a city

That’s all it is

All your own in its well-laid plans.

But Step Outside

Its just a city, gold, castle ashes and parchment

Somewhere in the city is a man named Steven O'Toole

He looks out the window as the sun goes down and the long shadows rise

And the summer’s heat stands on the telephone wires and roof spines

Daring the wind to push it to the cracking pavement

Curling a finger

Step outside

By J. Adam King

First published on Lulu.com and by Thynks Publishing.