Do not look in your bag for sympathy
Or apathy, 
You will not find self-harm or self-hate
Upon my shoulders or within my crate.
I’ve spent my years in a single place,
I ate my lunch and drink my tea in a quiet space,
Never expecting others to want my company
Or appear suddenly
With balloons and cake for my birthday
Or drinks and streamers for someone’s wedding day.
So what to say? What to think?
When to ask quietly for a drink?

My spark has fizzled out a long while ago
And I no longer have the bubbles for a happy show.
I feel myself slowly sink
With all the dishwater down the sink.
And why would I want a drink?
When I know what you all think.

Mervyn Peake, English author, poet and illustrator, was born today in 1911.

Tom Hanks, American actor and filmmaker, was born on this day in 1956.