Islington John

This part of town is all flatfish tramps
Beautiful women becoming mothers
All night long the piano grins
And I sit drinking sweetheart stout
Hey lonely you, you with the negro face
Say lonely what time does the music start?
Suddenly the actress belly laughs
And I put my hand on hers

Islington John, time you were gone
Look at the clock, it’s a quarter to one
And when it strikes the hour
I will steal your poppy flower

I get a nosebleed under the blue lamp
The actress goes up to the ugly man and they kiss
The wind ruffles the polythene
On a woman drunk on powdered milk and gas
Me and the actress meet a crowd walking backwards
Football fans attacking gypsy caravans
Someone hits my head from the back
As I’m peeping at cookery down an extractor stack

Islington John, time you were gone
Look at the clock, it’s a quarter to one
And when it strikes the hour
I will steal your poppy flower

Cars beep as we flamenco dance on the pavement
The innards of an old alsatian preserved by frost
Back at her flat the actress gargles
And puts on a record by Juliette Greco

Islington John, time you were gone
Look at the clock, it’s a quarter to one
And when it strikes the hour
I will steal your poppy flower

Islington John lifted the nylon
Lay amongst the broken antiques and smiled
Reeking of coffee and piss
Sober enough just to say this:
"I will pay for the fire extinguisher
The sand bucket and case
If you will let me pay for this man’s face"

Islington John, time you were gone
Look at the clock, it’s a quarter to one
And when it strikes the hour
I will steal your poppy flower

I will steal your poppy flower
I will steal your poppy flower