Desperate Living

Fear of missing out
made him sit up all night
to watch the race on TV
and football matches
even the girly advertisements

he scours the obituary pages
smiling grimly he's not there
yet, maybe he will go for a drive
to look at the paint
of his neighbours' houses

he thinks about sitting in the pub
drinking beer and reminiscing
about all the girls he scored
while married to his children's mom
now he's desperately alone

he watches the boats coming in
one by one, with their catch
he sees the big the medium the small
fishes all in the box
he wants to know how they do it

He knows time is running out
he won't live to a hundred and two
If he does what will he do
gum a chicken and pee a tree?
so he's looking at all he can see

only the opulent have bucket lists
he says to me, I'm not a passenger
silently I turn away, does it matter
money will not buy you a minute more
if the grim man visits you today.