I close my eyes and I see you
As little more than a babe in arms
With the biggest gummy grin ever
Sitting on my knee and laughing
As you head-butted me in the chest
Pictures I'll never forget

And then the last time I saw you
Struggling to breathe and barely conscious
Tended by your loving wife
We'd said our goodbyes and "love yous"
We'd hugged when we still could
And I watched you dying of cancer

                               By Phil Roberts

Here I am again
Returned from fighting with Fate
And being soundly thrashed
I find it's time to look around
To assess the damage done

So, onward and upward I go
Chip-on-shoulder firmly in place
And tongue just as firmly in cheek
I find there is much nourishment
For my over-developed sense of the ridiculous

                                    By Phil Roberts

See that man with trembling hands
And a distracted look in his eyes
With his head ticking slowly
He is falling and tumbling
Inwardly
Inside himself
Rolling and bumping
Faster and faster
And when at last he falls no more
He shatters and scatters
All across the floor
Gone

                    By Phil Roberts

When young hearts break
Tears fall like blood from an open wound
And it feels as though Life itself must end
But, of course, it never does
Despite despair's certainty
Everything carries on as before

And when a dearly loved one dies
The soul- scraping pain inside
Would wrench sobs from rocks
Life will never be the same
That pain will always remain
Though the world continues to turn

Blood and tears soon dry
Whoever may bleed or cry
Everything passes along with time
Rivers flow in just the same way
As sure as night follows day
There is no mercy in nature's way

                                    By Phil Roberts

My demons and me
Co-exist uneasily
With blind intent
And nothing meant
They still influence my reality

Howling at night
And ready to fight
Endlessly restless
Hopelessly hopeless
On the edge of taking flight

As years go by
Old tears dry
My steps become slower
The sun sets lower
And demons still colour my eyes

                                    By Phil Roberts

My blood ran hot and fast
And my lungs were still full bore
With limbs as supple as water
And joints that never ached
My body could be relied upon
For the rigours of life and more
I had muscles that were hard
And other things as well
I could see without wearing glasses
And the mills hadn't ruined my ears
Throughout those happy years
It never occurred to me
That it wouldn't stay that way

                          By Phil Roberts

The night people seep away
Like water into soil
Neither noticed or followed by anyone
Road sweepers remove the night's detritus
Ready for the city's full awakening
When the rushing crowds shall emerge
Surging tides of humanity
Never speaking to each other
With heads down and hidden eyes
On their way to another day
Worker bees in skyscraper hives
Growing old and growing ulcers

Amidst the canyons Between these buildings
Leaning into the buffeting wind
Two young lovers are seen
Little more than children
Carrying their innocence between them
Hurrying away from here
This harsh and angry place
Believing only in each other and love
Leaving the metropolis behind
Their names are Hope and Joy
And this is no place for them

                                By Phil Roberts