Sunrise on Henrietta Street

By Yvonne McCalla

Location: Henrietta Street, Old Trafford

randomly the metropolis blinks awake
slivers of night dreams on tongue tips
drawn into the muggy dawn of a new day

as light cumulates kettles gargle furious and fast
applauded by the random clatter of china
as residents of Old Trafford break their fast

here at 49…

humming under soft breath is a damask rose
Mrs Karim busily heating chapattis
smudged finger of flour dusting her nose

her boys searching now they’re fed
for lost homework, shoes, bags and clothes
while Mr Karim carefully wraps his head

starts a new job at the bus station today
anxious and excited by his good fortune
this could be the making of his family

Next door at 51…

… Miss Jones hollers up a wake-up call
to her teenagers who echo drowsy responses
sleepily reluctant to leave their beds at all

A busy working mother who didn’t plan
things to turn out this way determined to survive
in spite of renegade love that turned and ran

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