“To be pervaded by something unpleasant”

Tom,

Or as we used to call him

Ol’ Clappy,

Was a homeless man

Who would always

Reek of cigarettes,

Desiel and beer,

And would meander

The shopping arcade

For no apparent reason.

We called him

Ol’ Clappy

For when

We’d clap,

Or whistle

Or make any

Loud noise, really,

He’d snap

And yell all kinds

Of vulgar things.

Looking back,

We were terrible

Children.