R U OK?

No, don’t worry about me – I’ll be fine –

I’ll survive - the Happy Prince flensed of gold leaf,

the Good Thief that got into Heaven and robbed

God blind, the freezing South Sea Islander

in the Arctic – I will get by, by and by.

The one drunk left amid the benches

so you don’t have to, the badly painted ikon

of no-one’s favourite saint – this I do for you,

Captain Oates going on a no-prandial passageata,

Harlequin with a Kalashnikov – think of me,

but do not pity me nursing my fresh flesh wounds

and the sky explodes and the walls fall in;

the star that lights my path is somewhat dim,

being tarnished tinsel – I’ll muddle on…

And in any case, I’ll be fine…