Many Happy Returns

CLEANING CAREHOMES

Roger only bloomed at the end,
revealed his hidden colours
weren’t mildewed but bright enough
to sting all us staff’s eyes.

Winnie said no telegram
when she reached one hundred
but might she have a new nose -
like they gave the Statue of Liberty -
she’d never liked her old one.

There was a cake of course,
many happy returns,
not what she really wanted,
we're bouncing up and down
on a joyless trampoline.

Someone new on the second floor
of this perfunctory home
has stolen my dad’s shoulders
so I cover up his bed-wetting,
sink under minimum wage.

The rescue cat must have been taught
to run in from the rain, mewing
to be dried with the old towel
he came with, someone did that
then they left him behind.

Reasons to be tearful,
in a strange way, it’s good I cry
while I rinse floors that crawl
up the walls, while I keep
our clean secrets hidden.