Chris often writes short stories, his own 'brand' of poetry and is currently developing his own 'spoken word' style. From time to time some of this work will be posted here and feedback would be welcomed.

JAYNE

I’d seen the young girl many times walking, walking down my street
Pony-tailed hair flip-flops on her feet.
I’d heard other people call her they called her Jayne
She was a pretty one not a plain Jayne, Jayne!

I think she was around 16 or 17
Not as old as 18 but she might have been.
She walked as if she had the whole world on her shoulder
This made her look MAYBE 10 years older!

She always pushed a baby in a dirty old pram
It was well behaved QUIET I never heard it moan
As mummy walked behind smoking

And talking on a mobile phone!

Her boyfriend Jeff was a bit of a lad
He was around often don’t know if he was the dad.
JEFF they said was a diamond geezer

But me
I’d seen him tease her squeeze her
He didn’t seem to please her!

She was talking to him now

Talking on the phone
Loudly

SHOUTING

Didn’t care she wasn’t alone!

People watched,
Stopping in the street Jayne didn’t care.
She sighed stubbed out her fag ran her fingers through her hair!
She needed cash money for a fix
Supplement milk and … weetabix.

By her reaction I don’t think she liked what he said
That was when I noticed those bruises on her head!
Grazes and scratches I can’t believe I hadn’t seen
And a gap in her gums where her teeth once had been!

She was getting personal now her face turning red
Said some things better left un-said.

She told him

“You make me sick!” and “You’re crap in bed!” and
“You’ve got a little dick” and “I wish you were dead!”

An old fellah told her “Please tone it down!”
“Fuck off!” she said with a scowl and frown.
Two young girls giggled then looked at the floor
I heard a woman whisper “Dirty little whore!”

Jayne hung up the phone and lit another smoke
Then gestured to the crowd with a middle finger poke.
She held her head up high as she pushed away her pram
Determined measured strides like she didn’t give a damn.

They watched her turn the corner forgotten as soon as she’d gone
Unluckily though for her, her life still went on.