Riding on Trams

On Sunday the weather is sunny and pleasant
catch the 16 to see an art show
might stop for a coffee out in there in the sunshine
shiny bright natural light gives me a glow

The man on the tram appears very friendly
educated, pleasant, clean and well-dressed
I'm sitting alone and he moves right on over
he looks decent: he can tell I'm impressed

I smile and he smiles - we flirt just a little
before long he says Gotta go meet my wife
He waves as he leaves and I think what a pity
bemoaning the state of my celibate life

Arrive at the gallery and stop at the café
order a Latté with skinny and wait
Christ where’s my purse, I’m searching like crazy
it’s gone. Oh my God - I'm such easy bait

City lights, city lights shining and jewel-like
sparkling like dewdrops trapped there in a web
posing as sunshine, twinkling like diamonds
blindingly brilliant, confusing my head

86 to Smith Street I'm out for some dining
city lights, city lights, dazzling and bright
brittle like foil, foil on the pavement
off for a tram ride - I'm out for the night

there's a guy sitting near me – can't help but notice
he's sniffing his kicks from a brown paper bag
watched by a child sitting next to his mother
who wipes baby's face with a greasy grey rag

That man’s having fun, says the baby’s big brother
I wanna do it can I play that game
Yes dear, she says in a distracted manner
I’ll get you one later exactly the same

City lights shining on free easy lessons
for kids on the trams from qualified users
No one speaks up that this new game's illegal
that user's an addict but we're child abusers

City lights, city lights, dazzling and brilliant
mesmerise, hypnotise, there in the night
clean and bright, overhead, dizzy and dancing
casting long shadows the bright city lights

Riding on 8 from the corner of Dorcas
the eyes of the Shrine stare hard as I go
Exit at Southbank and walk a short distance
hear a loud scream but don’t want to know

Bright lights don’t shine on those murky dark places
razzle the dazzle - too glary for me
city lights blinking bright don’t shine where needed
illuminate only what I want to see

Don't see the broken, the bent or the tragic
fast talkers, stalkers, the starving, the dead
blinded by light, blighted by no sight,
see what I want, not what's there instead.

Zannie Sheridan 2008