I'd love to be able to retire

I'd love to be able to retire
without Putin setting fire
to the world and all we know
from his bunker in Moscow 
not to hear the heavenly choir
from a world left in a mier
as climate change abounds
our stupidity astounds
and how can there be no work
in the dark those millions lurk
but with millions with no jobs
and politicians with big gobs
nobody's paying tax
'chance for pension's looking lax...
but I'd love to be able to retire
in a place - somewhere to aspire
kids not armed with knives
but with skills to build their lives
so world wait 'til I retire
with my wife; we'll never tire
down in Cornwall having fun
our life's labours having done
and when our days run out
we together at rest no doubt
and with Putin awaiting his grave
and the climate yet to save
and politics still in a mess
and "AI" our God: I guess
and no jobs at all are left

 ...we won't feel bereft!







Questions which arise whilst on a train

Am I sat still whist the world flies by me?
Why don't the clouds move -  everything else seems to?
Maybe the clouds are just tears in a blue canvas?
Why is the track side going by faster than the distant hill tops?
Why is that child happy whilst the people having to stand seem so miserable?
Are we in a race with those cars?
Do the sun's rays want to be turned into electricity?
Is the right side of the train going faster than the left?
Do the arms of those pylons ever get tired?
Do those cows ever get tired of eating grass?
And why am I tired having been sat down for only an hour?
How new are all those 'new' cars?
How do seagulls hang in the sky?
And I wonder who lives in that big house?

...are we there yet?

(Haiku)

Squashed in on a train -
sardines would complain! Can I
hold onto this fart?

(Tanka) Sand

A handful of sand 
found in a shoe doesn't make 
a beach, but it might
resurrect lost memories 
of childhood visits to one!

(Tanka) Leaf-blowers

How is it that we 
exist, on a lump of rock, 
the perfect distance 
from a nice warm sun, yet we
go and invent leaf-blowers?

Plans

Is your head full of plans?
My head is always full of plans!
Plans to do the washing,
write poems,
and "where the hell are the delivery men?"
Stuff like that!
They spin around like the clothes in my new tumble dryer.
I'm very excited about my new tumble dryer!
One plan somehow clambers to the top of the pile,
and grabs my attention 
so I start down the road, 
of following that particular plan
and I forget all those other plans,
those that were previously tumbling around my head.
So what happend to all those other plans,
the ones that were previously,
filling my head,
the ones I forgot,
like - your plans to do the washing,
write poems,
and "where the hell are the delivery men?"
You become engrossed, following that one particular plan,
it was something you hadn't previously planned for,
and you forgot all the others - for now anyway,
until the tumble dryer in your head starts up again,
and another plan somehow clambers to the top of the pile,
and off we go again!
Oh why must life be so complicated?!



I didn't climb

A wiseman can sometimes play the fool.
Although we've put men on the moon - 1969 was a long time ago!
I keep it in my head,
and for this reason
I've had to descend a mountain 
I didn't climb.

(Tanka) Cushions

How come an object
such as a cushion which is
meant to be comfy,
and soft, can have such pointy,
sharp, uncomfortable corners?

(untitled)

It is war; only with rules.
It's a battle between two sides. To take ground, 
to enter enemy territory
and to inflict loss.
It's a campaign fought over many battles,
battles set in vast theatres of noise,
hope and expectation.
It's Rome and the Colusium.
It's feasting and drinking
a Colusium of death to the opposition.
Two opposing generals standing to one side 
shout their orders
to fit,
young,
practiced warriors,
dressed in colours
mirrored by the crowds who come and pay their coin and watch.
On a command,
the warriors withdraw,
regroup, 
and under the guidance of their respective generals
reasses their progress,
reconsider tactics,
then on a call,
return to fight once more.

The combatants apply the new plan with skill and determination.
The crowds become baying mobs,
chanting,
singing their anthems,
shouting abuse!
This is their territory and the opposition are not welcome!

The generals call for reinforcements
making changes,
swapping one injured warrior for a fit replacement
selected from the sidelines.
This battle must be won 
they use all the clever tactics they have to hand.
The two sides give all they have to give.
They fight this battle
to win this war...

...this war that is football!

(Tanka) Booooo

A 'Man United'
'sub' comes on and the 'Spurs' fans
'booooo' him because he's 
a former 'Chelsea' player...
This crowd really know their stuff!

To lye to lie to lay

Is it to lye or to lie or to lay?
"to recline whilst not telling the truth in a prone position?"
The greatest lies 
lie, lye, lay, lay in not telling the truth
but failing to lay at all.
Am I to never lye again,
but would that be a lie?
And not to tell the truth,
also be a lye?
Or a lay?
I must ensure that I would never again 
lie,
swearing the truth; to,
living,
lying
longing,
laying,
lying,
or just - lay; lye; lay; lie...

...why is liing not a word?

Busy Road

Car.
Van.
Lorry.
Bus.
Car.
Car.
Car.
Motorbike.
Car.
Car.
Car.
Lorry.
Lorry...

Gap!

(Tanka) Reflection

I stoop to pick up
a dropped coin on the shiny 
floor beneath me...
but my reflection gets there
first and snatches it from me.

(Tanka) Soldier

Wishing a soldier
well and to keep his head down
and to remain safe
is a bit optimistic 
given what his work entails 

Falsehoods

Those fake nails are real,
it's his smile that isn't true.
That wig is undeniably a real wig,
but I don't think he's a real drag queen!

That stone clad wall isn't real stone cladding
but the plastic guttering is made from genuine plastic,
unlike your happiness!

The front of that building is just a facade.
Don't you mock my Tudor!
Her tan is real,
she got it from a can, 
but the veneers on her teeth aren't bona fide!

I forgot goldfish have three second memories,
anyway that's a real distortion of the facts!
People saying most of the bodies heat is lost through their heads makes my blood boil!

Those falsehoods he didn't make up seemed legitimate 
isn't a thing that is not what its purported to be; just a sham?
I don't believe you!

Nepoleon was short,
but then everyone was really short in those days,
and bulls aren't colourblind 
so I red


Are we ready to go!

The early morning rush...
Wake up your shirt.
Shower everyones breakfasts.
Are the kids ironed?
Feed your tie.
Wake up the children sports kit 
Pack the children.
Eat your car.
Locate your toast.
Run a hair brush across your mobile.
Brush their packed lunches.
Find your hair!
Strap in the cats breakfast.
Grab a slice of laptop.
Unplug and pack their dinner money.
Load your teeth!
Get everyone out of the cat.
Has everyone gone..?

...are we ready to go?!


(Haiku) Autism

My brain does not see
the information my eyes
sends it to process!

We now really understand

We were...
innocent, 
inexperienced,
young green shoots,
laughing at jokes we didn't get
the songs of the time we didn't care for
but now we think 
these were the soundtracks of our childhood. 
Chasing girls but we didn't know why
with our friends
class mates
best mates! 
We were sons and brothers
knowing little - but we discovered 
stepping out
exploring the boundaries.
We played football in a school  playground  - now demolished 
discovered cigarettes down at the park - now built upon
chased love - whatever that was!
We knew little
it's all now a long time ago
just memories.
This was our upbringing 
the place where good times were stamped into our hearts
the place that made us 
the place before the world
shaped us into what you see today
inflicting the scars that gave us wisdom.
We became husbands
fathers
some of us grandfathers 
complete in life
now putting our feet up
having watched our children 
innocent and inexperienced
young green shoots
laughing at jokes they didn't get
they stepped out
and explored their boundaries 
and chased girls
found love
a subject which
through them... 
we now really understand.

Poems are just words sort of

Chair cushion poetry words
wind rain letterbox slap.
Trees fields leaves swirl
snoring dog - a booby-trap!

Poems exciting clever arranging 
words enjoy like "dingly-dell"
Medal gifted golden wing,
wrangle, package and farewell.

Trains clouds candles jug,
poetry in sunshine glow.
Red lampshade curtains seven
wooden Elephants in a row.

Favored mother's favourite son
silent tears and not to boast.
Hands of clocks slowly spinning
spreading marmite onto toast.

Some poems ask questions 
Some rhyme; some don't 
some paint you a picture
some will; some really do but occasionally and don't scan and wont rhyme at all they won't!

Poems are just words sort of,
written; spoken, printed in a book
open minds will have a go
grab your mind and go take a look.