A good hangover cure;
a cup of strong, black coffee,
as brewed in the good old days…
I’ve lived the Good Life
and I’ve Fought the Good Fight,
but soon I’ll draw my last drop.
All good things come to an end…
A good point to note
before I say ‘Good-bye’.
A better world awaits me
… to the best of my belief…
17. Animal Practice
A few moons ago
Before ewe became mutton
You went through a phase
You’d drink like a fish
And you’d get drunk as a skunk
You could wolf them down
One more for the road?
Be a lamb; go bar for us
Make mine a pigs ear
18. Another Holiday Cancelled
Windsor knotted, Cashmere tie
Bank Manager from Yorkshire
Now working in Lancashire
Fluent in three languages
Welcomes plain-English speaker
In a mixture of all three
‘Put wood in t’ole; sit thi daewn
‘n tek the weight off yer feet’
Donkey-jacketed debtor
Closes the door; parks himself
Leather and Mahogany
Too formal for his liking
Flat cap shifts from hand to hand
Coffee cup remains untouched
Hoping for a lucky break
But expecting more bad news
Down to serious business
Computer keyboard clicking
In time to manicured prompts
Cashmere Tie draws a breath; speaks
‘About the loan applied for
It’s a negative result
Your Credit Rating’s far too…’
‘Precarious’ came out as ‘slack’
What could Donkey Jacket do
To help his situation?
He works all the hours God sends
Double-shifts and overtime
Hasn’t had a holiday
Since Nineteen Eighty Seven
‘Not my fault if They don’t pay
Honest wages for honest work
And ever since Recession
Saving for a Rainy Day
Doesn’t accrue much interest
In the sixth wettest city’
‘Sorry mate, I can’t help you’
Cashmere Tie extends right hand
Donkey Jacket grips it; shakes
Removes wood from hole; slams
19. Rock 'N' Roll
In a band?
Wanna buy
Good as new
Second hand
Fender Strats?
Three pick-ups
Whammy bar
Red and white
Like Buddy
And plain white
Like Hendrix
Guaranteed
Quality
Just two grand
O.N.O
For quick sale
Cash only
No returns
Price includes
Hundred watt
Marshall Amp
Six months old
Also have
Effects box
Cash offers
Sold as seen
Up to you
Why buy new?
20. Message In A Bottle
Too long in exile; dreaming…?
An optical illusion?
The heat of the mid-day sun
Playing more tricks on my eyes?
It couldn’t be a bottle
Not after so many years
Castaway on this island
It just couldn’t be… could it…?
Be absolutely certain
That it is what it appears
Before I build my hopes up
In my feeble state of mind
Handle with extreme caution
Thorough examination
Be sure not to cut corners
It may be my only hope
Vitreous, non-crystalline
Brittle, transparent, solid
Cylindrical container
Formed by rapid melt quenching
Lightweight, Quercus Suber cap
Feint French vineyard aroma
Apellation d’origine…?
At a guess… Provence…? Bordeaux…?
And lo and behold, inside…
Just a small scrap of paper
Derived from cellulose pulp
Or possibly even, rags
On that paper… a message!
A short communication
Transmitted by written words
Containing information…!
Any moment now, I know
This dream will come to an end...
21. and they all lived…
after ‘i love you’
things started to happen
things that made us happy
all our dreams came true
*
church wedding; her in white
me, in a three piece suit
continental holidays
a house we could call home
children to worship
till death do us part
all the modern gadgets
plasma screen TV
mobile telephones
his and hers comforts
rings on every finger
diamonds in her ears
all that she could wish for
no expense was spared
*
whatever lola wanted
lola got… and then some
*
‘doesn’t get much better’
couldn’t get much worse
*
too much was not enough
honeymoon was over
*
and by coincidence
redundancy happened
*
left with next to nothing
everything to pay for
*
*
*
apparently i couldn’t
give her what she wanted
22. Happiness
(A Song)
How far are we from love?
How close to happiness?
If distance is the object
Will our hearts pass the test?
When two hearts beat as one
Our love transforms the days
And makes them last forever
Dark nights; light years away
Come to my arms and show me
How far we are from love
How close to happiness
Another world away
Across the seven seas
Seven deserts, seven peaks
Some days that’s how it seems
And in each other’s arms
As side by side we lie
A whispered promise to return
Each time we say goodbye
A whispered promise to return
Each time we say goodbye
Come to my arms and show me
How far we are from love
How close to happiness
But as we live, we learn
To give as well as take
To share each precious moment
That only true love makes
How far are we from love?
It’s clear from our embraces
How close to happiness?
It’s written on our faces
Come to my arms and show me
How far we are from love
How close to happiness
How far we are from love
How close to happiness
How close to happiness…?
...Happiness…
23. Walking Wounded
Flip-flop
Clippety clop
Marchers silent as children snore
Armed guards
Whiplashed bards
Disciplined Prisoners Of War
Stop press
Fancy dress
Little Red Riding Hood reports
Big wig
Gypsy gig
Double-act agents for escorts?
24. Escape, Hum, Vibrant
Cherish Liberty
Don’t mistake it for Freedom
There is no Escape
Hum, drone, purr, whine, buzz
The music the machines make
Slave to the rhythm
You; Vibrant colours
Vivacious, animated
I remain listless
Initially, I thought PNG
Rubber-stamped across my book
Meant goodbye to worldwide travel
On planes, trains and automobiles
But the ‘PNG Jib’ guarantees
A safe-passage exit route
A one-way voyage cargo pass
To Papua New Guinea
No ticket, no passport, no visa
But rest assured, travelling light
Under the cover of darkness
Is not as heavy as it seems
‘Baggage’ handled economy class
No upgrade available
Low profile, mile-high club members
Cater for your every need
If you’re Persona Non Grata
‘Stowaway’ doesn’t have to mean
Three months in the cargo hold
Of a cross-pacific ship
It’s not a course I’d recommend
And like other travellers’ tales
The PNG Jib ‘guarantee’
Is an old backpackers myth
26. Uncommon Valour
To unsung heroes everywhere
Who did something they’d like to think
Somebody else would do for them
Not the way the cookie crumbles…
A selfless act of bravery
Provokes the hero’s modest words
‘It was only a reaction’
‘Anyone would have done the same’
On reflection, hindsight suggests
Those apathetic bystanders
Reacted like anyone would
And Courage… someone else’s job
27. I Have Tried In My Way To Be Free
An Englishman’s home is his castle
Intérieur sans meubles.
The lights are on, but no one’s home
Final demands notwithstanding
Lumière grisâtre
Put another shilling in the meter
I used to love her…
Fini,
They think it’s all over
Give ‘em enough rope…
c'est fini,
It is now
Eschatological End of Days?
ça va finir,
Careful what you wish for
Like a bird on the wire… I have tried…
ça va peut-être finir.
I know why the caged bird sings
CREDITS:
Title from ‘Like a bird on the wire’ by Leonard Cohen
French, (in italics) from Fin de Partie by Samuel Beckett
I used to love her – The Rolling Stones
They think it’s all over/It is now – Kenneth Wolstenhome (1966 World Cup)
Give ‘em enough rope – The Clash
Careful what you wish for - Eminem
Like a bird on the wire – Leonard Cohen
I know why the caged bird sings – Maya Angelou
28. Coalition
Waiting for the tide to turn…
As one more new wave
Rolls… hangs… crashes…
Followed by another
Position…
Politician…
PRO-GRE-SSIVE.
Can you hear as the tide turns…?
Waves more frequent now
Ministerial, domination
Administration, coalition
CO-ALI-TION.
29. Enlightenment… Don’t Know What It Is
Buffalo Soldier, Dreadlock Rasta
Take heed of the words of Jehovah
On bended knee and pray to the Lord
'I wanna, I wanna be adored'
To a buck-toothed girl in Luxembourg
He’s got an uncontrollable urge
She was a case of insanity
Was it as good as it was for me?
I don’t trust you, why should you trust me?
Look through my window, what do I see?
A hustle here and a hustle there
Like the mating of the earth and air
There is no pain, you are receding
You’re no excuse for human being
Hush now baby, baby don’t you cry
Where were you when we were getting high?
Shake it on baby now, twist and shout
‘There is a light that never goes out’
No no woman, no woman no cry
Good times… they just seem to pass me by
Leave me hanging on the telephone
Send me home like an Elephant Stone
Beat the clock, you gotta beat the clock
We be to rap what key be to lock
There is a key after all - Credits:
The Creator Has A Master Plan – Pharaoh Sanders
Enlightenment, don’t know what it is – Van Morrison
Buffalo Soldier – Bob Marley And The Wailers
Words Of Wisdom – Dennis Brown
Religion – Public Image Limited
I Wanna Be Adored – The Stone Roses
Ask – The Smiths
Uncontrollable Urge – Devo
Bodies – The Sex Pistols
How Was It For You? - James
The Passenger – Iggy Pop
Walk On The Wild Side – The Velvet Underground
Evening Over Rooftops – Edgar Broughton Band
Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd
Mirage – Siouxsie And The Banshees
Mother – Pink Floyd
Champagne Supernova – Oasis
Twist And Shout – The Beatles
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out – The Smiths
No Woman No Cry – Bob Marley And The Wailers
Lisa Says – The Velvet Underground
Hanging On The Telephone – Blondie
Elephant Stone – The Stone Roses
Beat The Clock – Sparks
The Rebirth Of Slick – Digable Planets
30 Hung, Drawn and Quartered
Coalition rule
Conservative/Liberal
Vote of confidence?
A shotgun wedding?
A marriage made in heaven?
Heaven only knows
Let us celebrate
The dubious occasion
With wine and sweet words
31. Jack
Reluctance to entertain
Ideas above his station
A tendency to abstain
From physical temptation
Discipline made him refrain
From seeking the sensation
Promise of punishment, pain
Subdued the fascination
Concepts designed to sustain
A teenager’s frustration
A brief encounter with Jane
Transformed the situation
She was the first to explain
To him; a revelation
An attitude of disdain
Replaced intimidation
He could no longer contain
The urge for celebration
Uncorking vintage Champagne
Completed Jack’s elation
32. Taking Stock
Grasp the magnitude
Get a grip before you slip
What do you dread most?
Those who try to pacify?
Or the dissent they provoke?
33. A Man Needs A
Dog
At feeding time he paces
From kitchen to living room
From living room to kitchen
From kitchen to living room
He thinks I can’t tell the time
He thinks I don’t care for him
So he paces edgily
Wants all he can eat and more
In return for sustenance
No sticks are fetched, no balls chased
Newspapers and post ignored
For nights out – baby sitters…!
House training lessons – unlearned
Shout ‘Here Boy!’ – Does he mean me?
He could sleep for his country
Whichever one that might be
When I can do without it
That’s the time he’s most alert
The smell of dinner cooking
He can’t get enough of me
Following me around the place
Getting right under my feet
In kitchen heat, I can’t stand
Not enough chefs; still broth spoilt
Sure, he’s a son of a bitch
In more ways than just the one
But I would never swap him
Because he is my best friend
Reprimand hesitated
That thing – with his eyes again
Back end raised, fore legs stretched
Tongue protruding Pavlovesque
Innocence in those eyes
Those eyes soften hardened hearts
Those eyes that stare into mine
As if he’s adoring me
34. Tough Life
Upwardly mobile
Terms and conditions; hard earned…
Until depression
Embraced and ensnared
A curse of many layers
Financial crisis
Hopeless awareness
Hollow sensation; a dip
Austere impression
Meagre allowance
Embarrassed, impoverished
Famished soul forgot
Manhood stripped away
Staring at an empty plate
Reduced to a child
Alone in a crowd
No bread to break together
Undernourished pets
Ghosts of absent guests
Amputated metaphors
One time known as friends