2nd April 2024 

The two women in the front row

are twins with dyed red hair.

They turned up for the wrong film - 

thought they were seeing My Week With Marilyn,

but it’s The Deep Blue Sea by Rattigan.

I start to relax.

Everyone coughs and whispers.

The trailers finish,

the film starts

with white letters, fire crackers

in London - Somers Town -

where curtains are drawn

over bomb-site windows.

She counts her bracelets

with awkward elegance.

Her fingers mean so much,

because they touch 

survivors.

Excitement and fear

in cluttered pubs.

Alcohol breaks down inhibitions,

until love has permission: red nails on white flesh,

tongues and petticoats,

pills to overdose,

an emetic to restore equilibrium.

The luxury of health, 

and taking it for granted.

Long lean legs and cigarettes.

Let’s smoke and lose the memory.

Pearls and black snakeskin -

symmetry.

Passion flowers, 

passion people -

safety.

Green velvet trees.

A sailor went to sea.

Nicotine depression.

Sex without obsession.

Words and Artwork by Sam Burcher