The Rent Pensioner.

.comwhen tall he sees is needs
and to all else is blind
taking out the bins
bringing them all back in
is being more than kind

now:

he is;

painting the road,
moving a car,
reporting another crime,
watching the well-being of neighbours,
asking after residential status,
advising on the burning of garden waste,
tacking bamboo to fence and net to that
and saving cats from trespass
and the consequences of that
and anything he can do in the here and now
to help;
delivering the Labour Rose
clearing the drains, fixing a hose...

He doesn't know he is a Socialist.
From where did this concern grow?
How was he sewn?
We aren't wont to know.

No water will be left to freeze and
endanger the knees or otherwise while he's
in the neighbourhood because, because...

We cannot give thanks enough or understand
the uncalculating merit of this marvellous man
and in his marvellous here and now
He has made our world a sacred cow

so we can forgive the only trait
about him (when we violate with litter
or choose to ignore his signs
in the halogen glow of his lighted limes)

that might detract from his sainted perfection;
that small tendency to leer
when young ladies come near
the only distraction from the business
of sorting us all out and being
neighbourly.