he’s preparing his bike
for his daily ride
puts in the battery
carefully
then slowly slips on
a yellow vest
and his helmet
i sit in the shade
drink some coffee
we sing together
a different song today
hotel california
in between verses
he talks about
his time in india
how he grew up in tibet
and how his family
couldn’t afford school
we start singing the chorus
welcome to the hotel california
it’s paradise here
as a pensioner
he says
in my backyard
lies a dead pigeon
again
it‘s not the first time
birds come here to die
next to the run down yellow facade
a tiny graveyard
without the ceremony
it just lies there
i give it a name
luke
a bit late
but maybe it would have liked it
a tiny sparrow
flies full speed
against my neighbour‘s window
and again
then it flies away
i don‘t give it a name
not yet, sparrow
not yet
a few rooftops
three people
on three different rooftops
some pigeons
sitting in the sun
at a safe distance
one is reading a book
another one drinking coffee
i’m up here for a smoke
the wind is making
the city sing
on this quiet sunday morning
the church bell rings
every now and then
a mom yelling at her child
she left her window open
i hear the news from a distant tv
and i
keep listening
to the windchime
singing behind me
almost sold out
the city is slowly waking up
even in this quiet summer month
i feel a few raindrops on my skin
i look up
the sky looks bright though
a pierced man with a tiger tattoo on his neck
is carrying empty bottles through the street
for the lebanese restaurant next door
the owner greets me
hey mike, how are you doing
he looks a little older than i remember
tired somehow
there is the mailman
he greets me as well
you should really put your name
on your door
he says
i still don’t
the bakery is open now
it’s rare somehow i think
or maybe i just don’t sit here usually
i get a croissant
one of the last ones
they are about to close again
almost sold out
11 am
at the bus stop near the lake
an old man sits
with a few cans of beer beside him
he blasts Fleetwood Mac
through a crappy speaker
and sings even louder
a couple looks over
they don’t bother hiding their laughter
then cross to the other side
an older woman
slightly embarrassed
looks away
but something in her softens
even the bus driver
at the wheel
doesn’t look over
just waits till it‘s time to leave
i know that song
i start singing too
a woman next to me
hums along quietly
‚thunder only happens when it’s raining‘