The Poetry

(all in one) Accordion

Tired

Tired

I’m tired of all the tedium,
the mediocre unctuous glum
of images fed through word-machines
from the barely serviced slum.

The Weight

The Weight

Word thoughts melt, fading, away in memory,
running like a sailor
late, after messing up on shore leave, left his uniform with the tailor

What’s up next

What’s up next

Hounds are at my door wanting to claw out my eyes
I say to myself “this must be it, this is how a poor man dies.”

Pantomime

Pantomime

The wind cuts like a stiletto, the flowers are starting to bloom
the soldiers lay down the dying, while daughters shoot up in their rooms

19 Years

19 Years

Nineteen years, nineteen lies
Nineteen lockups where justice dies
Nineteen children dragged away
by nineteen others, one fine day.

Who Killed George Floyd

Who Killed George Floyd

Who was it who killed poor George Floyd,
who made his life null and void?
“Not me” said the cop who stomped on his neck
“I was just tryin’ to keep the man in check.”

Ain’t no Words

Ain’t no Words

An’t no words, ain’t no actions,
ain’t no turgid explanations
Ain’t no thieves, ain’t no captains,
ain’t no dirty complications

I Bow my Head

I Bow my Head

​In Autumn, Spring, or both, write the leaves
that fall, bud, blossom or bloom
and children summoned after breakfast,
clean plates, wash hands, to tidy up their room

If only

If only

If only I’d had one moment
if only I’d had some time
if only you’d let me make some still small sense
of this imaginary rhyme

Sleep

Sleep

If I go down to the water I can see it,
momentarily –
It reveals itself in the ripples, as if it’s winking,
slyly, at me

The Way we Live

The Way we Live

Fires are burning, lines are bracing
Nights in silence, hearts are racing
Tongues are wagging, shelves are clearing
help arrives, for the hard of hearing

I’m Not Here

I’m Not Here

I’m no longer here –
I’ve been in the papers, they use the word “tragedy”, a tragedy of sorts –
no longer able to breathe, that crash, others thrown clear –

Somewhere in the world

Somewhere in the world

The mattress is comfortable, our neighbours are kind –
they gave us some spare clothes to wear –
our Father went over to the promised land –
he told us he’d wait for us there.

Writing to a Friend (Part 1)

Writing to a Friend (Part 1)

Why would you bother,
with any of it, with any of it at all,
with nowhere to lay your head,
it spinning like a ball.

The Wise are Filled with Doubt

The Wise are Filled with Doubt

I sat with my professors
philosophise as they teach
“be careful,” they said “clanging bells may drown out,
the conclusions that you reach.”

The Road

The Road

The road is filled with burning wood
people leaving, told they should
grab some clothes and hit the road
and hear the windows behind explode

Castle in my Mind

Castle in my Mind

My neighbour, with his driveway entrance,
hardwood double doors
and the multi-level rooms,
over gleaming, silk-screen shores

Freedom

Freedom

This freedom of speech, how do you defend it
is it so close to your heart that you need to befriend it
dignified silence, jettisoned, forgotten
views contrary, sullied, putrid and rotten

Hell

Hell

In Dante’s Inferno, when trying to describe
the houses of Hell’s lamentations 
the torments, the trials, laid quick to ascribe
amidst the curses and blessings of nations

I Was Only Trying

I Was Only Trying

I was only trying to be sensitive, my Mother always said
be mindful of others, offending
but she was good at it, she didn’t hold back
lived a  life she did and if others

Where were we?

Where were we?

What was it? Where were we? Yesterday?
that made me stay away,
reined me in, stopped me calling,
not that you could hear me

Why Would You Want to be Old?

Why Would You Want to be Old?

My days are numbered I know that well
it is why I’m stuck here in this living hell
the biscuits stale, the tinkle of tea
and the nurses told not to bother with me

The Truck

The Truck

The truck stops, week in, out, inconvenient in the striving street
regular, if payment is required
to collect the stock piles of baby puke and waste convenience
and plastic worn deliveries, slit and thrown

We’re not to Blame

We’re not to Blame

It’s not our fault, we’re not to blame
we’re just trying to maintain our freedom
we mine our dark materials, this is not a game
because there are other poor people who need ‘em

Why do I do it?

Why do I do it?

I don’t do it for you , so your thoughts can rest easy
as you nod in your pleasant agreement
while you sip on your drink, peculiar and queasy
at my anticipated long due achievement

If Not This, Then What?

If Not This, Then What?

It’s not the Masses, not the torments,
not the nightmares of our longing
Not the grasslands, not the homelands,
not the roads to our belonging

One Day Closer Every Day

One Day Closer Every Day

Sheep droop jaw and hooves split in the stumble for the hay,
eager teeth picking at the stubble and the crust
Knees buckle their hollow humble eyes stare down and absorb
what was mud is now unsullied deep red dust

The Sweet Sweet Sound

The Sweet Sweet Sound

There’s a sweet sweet sound moving across the settled ground
it whispers in my ear in the morning
like a solitary breeze that whistles through the trees
and summons all the birds to cease their yawning

What Are We Made Of?

What Are We Made Of?

What are we made of? asks the child who cries
who just wants a toy she can play with
or to ask most politely before she dies
“is there someone out there I can stay with.”

A Place to Breathe

A Place to Breathe

My, what a lovely place you have
you must be very proud
I love your modern furniture
and the space that you’ve allowed

The Lifestyle You Ordered

The Lifestyle You Ordered

The lifestyle you ordered is currently out of stock
our warehouse has been stripped of supplies
our people are working around the clock
be sure to remember your size

I Remembered Yesterday

I Remembered Yesterday

I remembered yesterday the times that I have with you
And visions of the grateful days and all that I have wished for you

One Day

One Day

There’s a ghost selling memories down by the shore
as a jury decides its fate
there’s a man of religion knocking at my door
I need to lie down, he can wait.

My Own Best Friend

My Own Best Friend

Stooping down and listless still
the rain, the pavement scarried
the men they took my food and oil
and all that I had carried

My Leaning Frame

My Leaning Frame

I have no room on my leaning frame
The seed that’s planted, in the ground
I have no mind for what lays behind
I put no weight on what others find

Bleed for Mary

Bleed for Mary

It’s a recurring theme invading my senses
I’m lining up images all in a row
They’re blowing up bridges and cutting down fences
But I keep on moving but my moving is slow

When I’m Gone *

When I’m Gone *

When all is conquered said and done
When all the races have been run
I’m hoping for a place that I call home
I hope I meet my saviour there
I hope that he will judge me fair
When I’m gone

God Knows Where *

God Knows Where *

My mother she left me I don’t know where she went
perhaps she never arrived
I left home when I was four years old
I had to survive

Writing on the Wall *

Writing on the Wall *

There’s a sign in the window saying the stores are closed
The doors are barricaded and the pipes they froze
They say that pride it comes before a fall
I think it’s got something to do with the writing on the wall

Holy Ground *

Holy Ground *

Walking seems hard and my thoughts deplete
My head’s on my pillow but I cannot sleep
There’s a voice that’s calling me to come around
And stand in silence on Holy Ground

Songs (Lyrics)

Revelation *

Revelation *

I saw an old man walking by
I saw a woman start to cry
I saw him, I saw him
I saw an old man walking by

There’ll be no peace in the Middle East *

There’ll be no peace in the Middle East *

I met an old man down in lebanon
been walking the streets since the day he was born
told me the story of palestine and the jews
most of it was old, all of it was in the news

I Found You *

I Found You *

Princes priests and diplomats
are trying to explain
The times that we are living in
the rumbling in my brain

Bleed for Mary

Bleed for Mary

It’s a recurring theme invading my senses
I’m lining up images all in a row
They’re blowing up bridges and cutting down fences
But I keep on moving but my moving is slow

When I’m Gone *

When I’m Gone *

When all is conquered said and done
When all the races have been run
I’m hoping for a place that I call home
I hope I meet my saviour there
I hope that he will judge me fair
When I’m gone

God Knows Where *

God Knows Where *

My mother she left me I don’t know where she went
perhaps she never arrived
I left home when I was four years old
I had to survive

No One Mentions Her Name *

No One Mentions Her Name *

All sorts of things thoughts tied like lengths of strings
Run through my mind.
Like winding anxiety waiting on her fate at the watch of hope I wait
From one day to next always the same
Not one mention of her name.

Writing on the Wall *

Writing on the Wall *

There’s a sign in the window saying the stores are closed
The doors are barricaded and the pipes they froze
They say that pride it comes before a fall
I think it’s got something to do with the writing on the wall

What’s Required of Me *

What’s Required of Me *

Sip my coffee and I read the news
Reading about society’s views
Call my broker and do some lunch
Make a million on the back of a hunch…

Guess I’m Doing Fine *

Guess I’m Doing Fine *

You see me in the street and you ask me with a grin
About the life I’m livin and the kind of shape I’m in
Even though I’m lost and lonely
And my heart is on the line
I smile and give my answer
That I guess I’m doing fine.