The surveyors report said
"A very busy main road."
But Ardmillan's lullaby is priceless.
The neighbours across the street
are very quiet indeed,
but even they must feel the rattle of the N44
in what's left of their bones.
Mad women serenade us with
random sports-centre tunes.
Pub crawlers stumble home,
breaking up and making up
under by bedroom window.
All the world's languages pass by;
I can even hear their whispers
through the Victorian window frames
Engines, sirens, banging bin lids,
Their noise dances with my dreams,
keep me from waking.
Without this lullaby,
I'd never sleep a wink.
