"Love Lost Soul"

Forgive me for not getting
Into the spirit of things tonight
As I've never known
Love at first sight.
In fact I've never known
Love at all
But please don't worry
This is no sympathy call.
When I was a teenage boy
I never had a girl to kiss
I hid it all
By going on the piss.
Life moves on and
I've been sober
Since two thousand and two
But when it comes to romance
I've no idea what to do.
The only thing I cuddle at night
Is myself when I turn off the light.
Of course I'd like
Someone to kiss
And a bit of intimacy
Wouldn't go amiss.
At least I'm not
Picking up a drink today
And my football friends
Don't mind me being gay.
Although I've never been loved
It means I've never been hurt
Just as well
I never learnt to flirt.
So if you're lucky
In love out there
Enjoy it while you can
Or you'll end up like me
A lonely old man!
Never say never
There might be hope...
But if there's a bloke for me
How would I cope?
Who knows?
That might change for me today
I might find a 'Flying Dutchman'
Along Wells Way.

Dulwich Poet 9th February 2014

(I went to a poetry & performance night, called 'Unmade Bed', at the 'Flying Dutchman' pub tonight. It was a pub in Wells Way, which is about ten minutes walk from the Aylesbury Estate, a rough council estate where I lived in my teenage years. I wrote this on the bus there, as the headlining poets were reading on a theme of love, and all that, with Valentines coming up. This is one of four I shared in my five minute Open Mic slot.)