RADJU OTTU 88.8
SUNDAY DRIVING

Never too long the road
that leads to a friend’s abode
with a gift for his daughter
starting school tomorrow

Thom Yorke, Suspirium
through the forest
neither fast nor slow
Thank you Mr Algorithm
(no product placement here)
Piano on the steering wheel
between curves
3/4
left hand can only pretend
right hand
E E-G# C# | E E-G# C#
A# A#-C# F# | A# A#-C# F#
C# C#-E A | C# C#-E A
E E-G# C# | E E-G# C#
ooo xi ġmiel | xi ġmiel

Is the darkness ours to take
Bathed in lightness, bathed in heat
Thom, read that again
in lockdown
sing that again
from your piano

Twan
don’t forget
these are car pedals
U fuq kollox
especially
the middle pedal
is not sostenuto
but quite the opposite
Another curve ahead
slow brake 
slow turn
then back to the damper
sympathetically vibrating

Forget the fucker close behind
expecting you to speed
at the risk of killing a deer
Country of number plate
not important
He can overtake
at the next main road
Let me be a Sunday driver
in peace

Octopus, Syd Barrett
Mr Algorithm
I think you know me too well
Ott, sorry xbin
I left you on the piano
but I know you’re happy there
Will play this for you tonight
Trip to heave and ho
up down, to and fro
Close our eyes
to the octopus ride

Isn’t it good 
to be lost in the wood
Very true
no big rush to arrive
but looking forward
(as you should
when you’re driving)
The winds they blew 
and the leaves did wag
Sharp right turn ahead
about 105 degrees
They’ll never put me 
in their bag

Onto Rue de la vallée
Large tree hill in the distance
the cloud a white continuation
of the canopy
To the right, a cloud with long ears
white rabbit
like Jefferson Airplane
which reminds me
of the long drives with Paula
eight years ago now
from village to village
mapping the country in my head
Paula, qué será de Paula
now a frontliner
Hope she’s fine
her dear mamá too
and that racist fuckin’ stepfather of hers
hope he’s ok as well
Dak kollox
that’s it

Note-taking break at Aansebuerg
opposite a favourite bench
by the Äisch river
and the Chapelle Notre Dame
Consolatrice des Affligés
Time to try out
the voice-activated recording
Hi ***
(* no product placement)
record
Bla bla bla
kaza kaza kaza
Ah great
it works
Kaza kaza kaza
wa wa wa wa
و و و و

Hi ***, stop recording
Hi ***
*** ? Hello? 
How the hell do you stop it
without reaching for the screen
while driving
Ah well
might just need to be careful
when I think aloud

Will try something else
Hi ***
please tell Silvia inħobbok
Transcription on screen
Please tell Silvia
in hot book
Ħħħħħħħħ
88888888
ooo mamma mia
ooo Ġesù
When I stop laughing
I’ll start the car again

Home now
writing this up
in the sweet Bonnevoie night
Best munchies ever
gift with gift
Fouad’s olive oil ciabatta
dipped in yeast extract spread 
from my mother

Saħħiet
thank you in Amazigh
regards in Maltese
in both languages
the plural of health