During my recent visit to Avignon the temperatures in the city exceeded forty degrees

The Avignon Festival had began and the city was buzzing

Roads and squares had become venues for street theatre and concerts

And all available walls had become gallery spaces

On the final day of our visit I purchased a book of poetry

Which was wrapped in warn cellophane

This book remained in my possession during our long journey home

And although it was still wrapped in cellophane I was about to read it

When three large beetles fell from the night sky

They had originated from the low platform canopy on platform six

Which had recently been cleaned using high pressure hoses

As my wife and I removed the terrified creatures from our hair

I saw a fox hiding in the undergrowth next to the tracks

The scruffy creature was not smiling although I knew that he had found the incident humorous

Foxes are such dour animals