"Hidden World"

Behind these gates
There's a hidden life
Escaping the worries
And a world of strife.
An entire community
Of dropouts and punks
With their drug addictions
And a number of drunks.
Despite the squalour
I was enchanted by this
Which I genuinely mean
Not taking the piss.
Never mind what you see
Look under the skin
It's not the grime on the outside
But warmth of heart within.
Away from prying eyes
Who are we to judge?
Their choice of lifestyle
I cannot begrudge.
For part of me says
If I had my life again
I'd learn from my mistakes
And be one of them.

Dulwich Poet 3rd June 2014

(After the Altona fans tournament on Saturday 31st May, one of their punk fans invited me to visit his caravan, which was part of a 'punk/dropout commune. It seemed to a place that 'ordinary outsiders' like me don't usually get to see, and it felt like a privilege to be asked. Despite it being different to anything I've ever seen before in my life, I felt an attraction to the place.)