It was meant, and taken

with absolute kindness,

an observation handed to the recipient

as one would offer a Raspberry Ripple

ice cream to a sweating man as he

patiently waited for a glass of water

brought by slow camel from the Sahara.

I smiled as my friend spoke down the phone

on his birthday, as he handed me the verbal

compliment with sincerity. I always imagined

that living in your head, old pal,

was like watching four classically trained

musicians decide to perform

free form Jazz in their local pub,

the sound not making sense

until you realise how creative it actually was

on the bus ride home.

Well, I thought,

you could not be more spot on,

and wrote down in my appointment

diary that I must invite

him to the next recital,

and add the gorilla on the drums

for good measure.

Ian D. Hall 2020