The Pavements Miss the Shadows

People are always elsewhere,
trapped like bubbles in Champagne,
waiting for a special day,
which never comes.

Dogs are walked quickly,
clouds miss their barks.
Children shout through masks,
mouthing at friends that they cannot spend time with.

Shops are empty,
collecting more shop window wasps
than they do customers.
Trains miss the commuters,
no-one gets too close, talking into their phones,
playing games, avoiding eye contact.

We read the news,
watch repeats on Television,
knowing that there isn't really anything new,
and the Pavements still miss the shadows.

Ben Macnair is an award-winning poet and playwright from Staffordshire in the United Kingdom. Follow him on Twitter @benmacnair.