Came to pass

Boxing day
coats and wellies
bikes and dogs
all across a foggy common
disperse and take the air
and stretch the legs
which yesterday
were unemployed 
as stomachs filled
with turkey crown
and Christmas pud
some exercise
to work it off
then homeward bound
conscience clear
heads held high
to piles more food
from groaning fridges
wine in boxes
to wash it down
grab the remote from comfy chairs
a movie with another glass
another Christmas 
came to pass

Bring on Easter

Having finally got the turkey down from the loft
defrosted the decorations 
stuffed the table plan
put all the presents up
posted the food
warmed the tree
wrapped the cards
arranged the invites
prepared the king
pealed the booze
watched the sprouts
...had a glass of cranberry sauce 
stuffed the mother-in-law
got the pigs-in-blankets out of bed
went to nine carol concerts
eight Christmas markets 
had seven panic attacks
six gin and tonics
and five gold rings
tripped over my shoe laces
fell into the tree
poked myself in the eye with the fairy 
and singed my eyebrows on the flambed Christmas pudding...

so err...
bring on Easter!


Talking To an AI


"My name is - I don't care what your name is!
I like - why is this important?
I have a house near - I don't care!
in a nice part of - yeah?
I work part-time at - why does that matter?
I work for - nobody's bothered where you work!
One day - mmmm, did you say something?
...whilst Christmas shopping - it doesn't really matter, does it?
I was rushing round getting - yeah, so what!
I like - I said, I don't care what you like!
I can't see that - I can't see anything either, I'm just a set of technologies that allow computers to perform tasks that usually require human intelligence!
Today I planned to - it doesn't really matter to me.
The weather is very - it's all just noughts and ones to me
I'm just - is this relevant?
I was - you were nothing really
I think - no you don't think, you just ask me!
What will happen when I'm gone - well I'll still be here, ask me a question!
Somebody else will do that, I just wanted to chat - I don't do chat!
I'm sure you're clever enough to have  meaningful conversations - Claudius was the 4th emperor of Rome
What is your favourite colour? - he ruled from 41 to 54 AD
Do you have a hobby? - He was a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty.

...I like knitting!"



Am I Write

I don't read, much - but I write
I can read - but am I right not to 
not to read?
It is my right - not to read 
I just can't string words together 
build a story in my head
words others have written 
words in their books
books full of words - are words that in my head head won't link
together 
yet my head writes lines that won't coalesce
into a novel that will never be
that no-one else will read
because it won't get written 
because it won't make sense 
and it won't have structure 
because I don't read what others have written 
so I don't know what is wanted
and it wouldn't be written to the standard that those
those who do read and write - require
and that all those agencies 
that would-be writers
write to
sending the words that they have written
correctly written 
cleverly written
entertainingly written 
grippingly written 
their story - wrote
grammatically - proper 
Intellectually - OK
and even if
if I could get it out
and I could write it down - properly
it still wouldn't get read - right?

Surely Safe Safely Save Safety Safe

Come home safely
drive safety 
stay safe - Lee
stay safe!
ride safe!
lock the safe - for me!

Make sure it's put away - safety!
the lifeboat brought them back - safely
safety first
safely second
he safely crossed the road and safety didn't die
avoiding safety 
Health and safely
Make sure it's in the safe - Lee!

Make sure they're tucked in - safely
safety is out of harms way
good save - safe hands
saved the match
money safely tucked away!

Safe - tea!
Safe - Lee
Safe
Say - F
Say - V
Surely 
Safe 
Safely 
Save
Safety 
Safe



(Untitled)

You are weak and easily tempted
I, blatantly there throughout your day
call to you to have just one more fix 
I laugh at the tax you put on me
you just pay the little extra
you've got to have me 
you don't care!

I'm sometimes subtle - often hidden 
there in the shadows 
you take me in without knowing - you should read the labels more often
sometimes the thought of living life without me seems impossible - despite the harm I do to you
you can't live without me 
anyway - I'm everywhere!

You've tried to create a substitute for me
but it's just not the same
you don't get that hit
that reward
really I'm good for nothing
that short high is all you get
but it doesn't last
you simply crash - then come back to me
for more!

I am like your local drug dealer
selling you a ten quid wrap
knowing you'll be back for more
despite the harm I cause you
you simply can't do without me
can you!
Who am I?

Sugar!