Jack MacMillan is a performance poet from Fort William.
Host of Poetry at Inn Deep.
Uni Slam Champion 2017.
The Police Like Lunch from Tesco
Have you ever noticed
That when you go to the big Tesco
Or big Asda
Or big Morrisons
There is always a police officer
Buying a meal deal
It’s one of those things
That when you notice it
You can’t un-notice it
Like a smudge on a tv
Or a flaw in a partner
Or the sense of how nothing means anything
Or matters
Can Dogs Smile?
I heard that thing about them not being able to look up but I saw a dog look up
at the statue
in Kelvingrove park
Didn’t look too happy about it
Just sort of sat there
panting
like it was out of breath
like it was just running
but I know that it wasn’t
I often see people speak to dogs
as if they are people
They ask them not to do things
that a dog would clearly like to do
like piss on a tree
or play with a ball
in a park
or on a beach
Then they get annoyed when the dog doesn’t stop
as if the dog isn’t even listening
The dog is definitely listening
dogs have excellent hearing
on account of them
being dogs
I don’t think that dogs like the things we think they like
like us
I read
that if you died alone in your flat
but for the dog
It would make its way through your flesh
after about a week
I don’t think it would feel
very sad about it