Next To Godlessness

Ridley Market was awash
with cleanliness.
Going by the bananas 'n mangoes,
a stocky black guy, phone
clamped to his ear,
"mek sure yu wash yur hands CLEAN".
By the bagel shop, another two
black guys talking in earnest,
"yu get gangrene in yu finger,
yu CHOP 'T OFF".
Over aubergines, red peppers,
ginger roots, 'n bunches of
coriander, there was a little
crowd. A woman in a pink
shop coat shouted,
"well put it this way, I kept
my flip-flops on".