50 Years Ago I Was At School With You

Who would have thought we'd send spaceships across the vast emptiness of space,
and that my mum would have died.

Who would have thought we'd have the internet,
and that I would have four children.

Who would have thought we'd have damaged our planet so badly,
and that I would become an artist.

Who would have thought we'd have small communication devices to carry in our hands,
and that I would suffer from depression,
and talk about it on them.

Who would have thought we'd have a pandemic,
and that I would write poetry.

Who would have thought that every house would have a computer,
and that a packet of fags would cost fifteen quid,
and that we'd still be drinking coca cola,
and we'd have lockdowns and have to wear masks,
and that Woolworths would have closed,
and that the city would have a top flight rugby team,
and that our TV signals would come from outer space...

and that it was 50 years ago I was at school with you...

and that I'd be 60 this year...

who'd have thought it!

(Haiku)

Flakes of snow caught in
beams from car headlights; swirl in
early morning gloom.

Hanging On For A Sort Of Normal

Hanging on for the vaccine. 
A, 
'my turn',
my place in the queue reaching the front,
feeling that jab in my arm and knowing everything is going to be OK.
... sort of hanging on.

Hanging on for Spring.
A, 
sunshine on my face,
see and smell the flowers,
daffodils, snow drops, bluebells,
warmer, longer and lighter days
... sort of hanging on.

Hanging on for something different.
A, 
different headlines on the evening news,
different 'splashes' across the front pages,
different things to talk about with different people
...sort of hanging on.

I'm hanging on for normal.
I wanna to do normal things.
I wanna to go to the pub or to the restaurant.
Shopping, 
I wanna go shopping.
I wanna go to live shows and see concerts,
have family days out without breaking the law,
and I don't wanna do it wearing a mask.

...I think I'm hanging on for a sort of normal!

As You Read This

As you read this,
someone's life has just ended.
Someone has been told that their lifes journey is soon to end,
someone's family is being told that their loved one hasn't many steps left to take,
and a family has just said 'good-bye' to someone they loved most dearly,
on their final journey. 

As you read this,
a new life has just been created.
A new person is entering the world to start their,
as yet uncharted journey.
Someone who was meant to start their journey has just been taken; too soon.
Someone's family has just been told that all their plans for this new person,
must be put on hold,
that the journey for this new person cannot start,
it was just not meant to be,
and...
as you read this,
a young; 'would be mother'...
grieves.

As you read this
a person is celebrating.
A person is filled with joy over an achievement,
a success!
But a person is in pain, 
a person has just failed.

As you read this,
someone is working,
someone is resting.
Someone is eating,
but someone is hungry!
Someone is very happy
but someone is thinking of ending their journey,
earlier than it should end,
because someone is in darkness.

As you read this,
someone has just won,
someone has just lost.
Someone is planning to do wrong to others,
someone feels they must help.
Someone has just been converted,
someone has just lapsed.
Someone has just quit,
and someone just started.
Someone has just created,
someone; destroyed. 

After you've read this poem,
what are you doing?


(Haiku)

A cold morning. So
cold, you wish your heater had
a higher setting!

Mr Spider

There's a spider in the window
as the sunrise I see,
and to the spider I say 'morning!'
as he stares down at me!

He's fixing up his cobwebs
for a catch I've a hunch,
for a tasty little morsel 
he could have for his lunch.

Did you dine well, Mr Spider?
Do you have all you need?
What you caught, was it tasty,
your cobweb, did it succeed?

I'd like to think he's happy
in the window over there,
'cos it's a hard life being a spider, all covered in hair!

Folks run screaming from their kitchens,
they stand on a chair,
but I'm just a little spider don't worry if I'm there.
I won't harm you or hurt you
with a swipe or a bite,
that's my family down under,
'cos with them...
they just might!