Gerald Bostock, fresh from school with few O-levels, sets his sights
No grand, fanciful fantasies but level headed middle ground
The retail trade, the corner shop, at humble service of plain town-folk
Open at nine and closed by six: enough to work, play, work around

Regulars drop by to chat in idle gossip, repetition
Same old words, another day while, all the time, life slips away
But slips so slowly, stretches moments into hours and hours to years
With characters by Harold Pinter, dark silences, slow Passion Play

Then home to fire up model trains and shunt and shuffle wagons, locomotive breath upon his brow
Smooth clockwork running motors hum while barren Madge prepares hot dinner
Fray Bentos pie: always a winner
So, praise life's routine cozy habits
And don't forget to call your Mum