CHOOSING YOUR MEDICINE

At Grahame’s once-was pharmacy

coffee customers now sit at small tables,

discussing in the half dark

perennial problems of time and space,

boat people and global warming.

This place, empty for several years,

was once full of upright Grahame.

He dispensed medicines

with happy chat

for old and scared.

Now an enterprising barista

serving with no fuss

doses of organic juice

has wooed commuters inside

who were waiting for the bus.

Now, coffee is dispensed –

no script is needed – that’n

the cost being three not thirty bucks

distinguishes the cappuccino

from a cholesterol-lowering statin.

MAGIC MATTERS

This big case

has lots of things

we’re taking

to Paris –

clothes for Mum and Noemie

and Sarah and me

and probably

for Daddy.

It’s almost as big

as me!  It weighs

the same.

Now it has to go on the plane

with us so they’ll put a ticket

on it, like the ones they’re

giving us, to make sure

it comes on board.

So now the bag

is being weighed at the place

where they stick the tickets.

It has to shift a bit

towards a moving mat

that will take it to the plane.

But now it’s stuck.

Never mind!  I have big lungs

and I can take deep breaths

and like blowing out the world’s biggest candle

on a huge cake I can blow the case!

Watch me!  Big breath in…

And I’m going to blow in a minute

so big you could not believe.

OUT! !  SEE!  The case is on its way!