If I were to meet a 'grizzly' end in some way or other
grizzly enough to make the national news
the news reader would say I was;
"A 61 year old man with 4 children".
They wouldn't mention I was a loving and caring husband and father.
Nor that I was a West Ham fan - but we all had our problems!
Nor that I was a happy soul
and that I loved Paris and used to live there.
They wouldn't talk about me being a messy so-and-so
and a vegetarian
with a beard and crazy hair
nor that I gave up smoking when I was eleven - ten minutes after I started!
Me being an artist and photographer wouldn't get a look in
and they wouldn't mention that I liked my coffee black and strong
and that I disliked broccoli.
They wouldn't indicate that I was a bit of a hippy
and loved wearing brightly colored clothes
and that; if I had ruled the world
everyone would have been happy and safe!
They wouldn't alude to a liking for wine gumsn either
and that I loved radio Caroline and the 'pirate radio stations' from the 1960's
nor that my favourite film was 'Shawshank Redemption'.
They wouldn't mention that I was liked by many and that I preferred Burger King to McDonald's.
Nothing would be said about me seeing the world in a different way from others
nor that I loved 'Time Team'
and that I was an awfully good poet
...and published one!
I'd simply be a 61 year old man with 4 children
...but I was more than that!
