Once upon a time there was a small child
that sat in a pub
every day while the adults smoked and drank.
Be quiet, sit still, said the adults,
and the child got very good at these things.
The lights of the gambling machines were
entertaining enough. Then as the child grew older
it developed a fascination for curly cigarette smoke
and drew patterns in it with a finger,
which only occasionally annoyed anyone.
Yellow afternoon sun crept through
the grey air of many days and months.
One day the adults were no longer allowed to smoke
in the pub and while they stood outside
the child was very quiet
and sat very still.