You feast your eyes on my thick white swirls, as they wave at you
Floating aimlessly, forming beautiful patterns in the air
Hypnotic, luring you ever closer
You are somehow tempted by my aroma
You take it in, noticing my tiny flame, burning intensely
A deep reddy orange glow, ash sensitively falling
You can’t resist me, my slender physique

It is your turn to touch me to your mouth
You take an all-consuming draw and I get shorter as you imbibe me
For a moment, you can’t catch your breath
Leaving no room to breathe out, finally you exhale
But my smoke is merely a puff
It does not waft nor linger, but disappears without notice
So you try again

You know I’m no good; you absolutely do
Still you are intoxicated by my style and poise
You hold me very fancy, as a film star would
Foolishly struck by me, I have taken you in, without my breaking a sweat
You are easy

Now I have you, I own you, but I have no feelings for you
You do nothing for me
I destroy you slowly from within
You reek of me, you are my prisoner
At first, I am to be your god but soon I shall be your devil
You cannot leave me, but why not try

Crimes and misdemeanours, I’m no boy scout
Every law of the land, I have tried to flout
There’s not a line I haven’t crossed
No rule book I haven’t tossed

Every trial and every tribulation
Enemy number one of the nation
If the evidence is to be believed
There’s no honour among thieves

Standing in the box, swearing on the book
Lawyers trying to get me off the hook
The judge, jury, executioner too
Prosecutors trying to sue

Lock em up and hang em high
Leave them to rot and out to dry
Serving my sentence, doing my time
Paying the price for committing the crime

In my cell, behind bars
Solitary moments, battle scars
Ball and chain, within these walls,
Inmates, jailbirds, guards and brawls

The clinking of the keys as lights go out
Screams of “I’m innocent”, without a shadow of a doubt
The morning breaks and still in my cell
This is living, but a living hell

No remorse, only time will tell
Spending the nights in a Punishment hotel
Seeing out my time, seeking some peace
Longing for day of my release

I live inside a circle
A circle has no sides
I can walk around it
Within it I can hide

I move about it freely
But outside I cannot stride
I can skip to its centre
Its centre is my guide

The circle cannot be broken
It tends to serve me well
Whenever words are spoken
Upon them I can dwell

It comfortably surrounds me
Protects me from all around
It even has the ability
To dampen any sound

My circle lets no light in
But within in it I need no light
It never leaves me wanting
Through morning, noon or night

My circle is my everything
My world and universe
Inside it I can dance and sing
And hear each and every verse

It’s a thing of absolute beauty
Extraordinary grace
But I can only see one side
As it only has one face

But that’s the way I like it
A circle simple yet sublime
Encapsulating my every being
My body and my mind

If you live within a circle
You’ll understand my story
Living in a circle
Is a land of hope and glory

I am writing my slogan,
Ploughing through the streets like a trojan
I’m going to march with my people
Go to church, climb it, protest from the steeple

I’m spray painting my face
For the sake of the human race
It is not to be taken lightly
I will not ask politely

The cause is not negotiable
To win, it must be emotional
My intentions are always pure
We know the symptoms, now for the cure

We fly the flags of hope
We’ve walked the slippery *****
We offer our point of view
Now it’s time for something new

Our mission is for change
It is well within our range
Over time it can be done
A change has to come

It’s so obvious to some
But a mystery to others
We all must overcome
And unite as brothers

Tell it to one and all who’ll listen
Pay no attention to any derision
Keep the world schooled in truth
Make the place better for our youth

Chuck your documents and bills, your old love letters in
For I am your container, your waste paper bin
I’ll take whatever you give, and I won’t tell a sole
You can count on me, secrecy is my role

I come in all shapes and sizes, with lids and without
You can dispose of whatever you wish, of that there’s no doubt
What goes in the bin stays in the bin, shredded or not
Under a desk, in the corner, your garbage, I’ll take the lot

But should somebody come just to rummage around
I can’t be held responsible for what it is they’ve found
I only hold your papers and don’t know what is contained within
It is not my duty to judge if the papers reveal any sins

Every so often you empty me and the history for you I keep
But you have plenty to refill me, in fact more and more each week
To you I’m just a container, a vessel of no repute
But I’m a hoarder of your *******, of that there’s no dispute

If only I understood all that you lob
That would for me make a very interesting job
Perhaps I could figure out what is fact, fiction or sin
But I know my place I am just a trusty old waste paper bin

Time’s up, end of the road
Nowhere to turn, carrying a heavy load
Burden to bear, no returns
Beginning of the end, nothing to learn

Uphill struggle, Downhill all the way
Taking a stance, having your say
Moving heaven and earth, not budging at all
Taking a break, having a ball

Onwards and upwards, down to the wire
Less is more, playing with fire
Dilly dallying, dog’s dinner
All washed up, everyone’s a winner

Chancing your arm, hair on your chest
Not giving a hoot, being the best
Out in the cold, hot on his tail
Do not disturb, it’s in the mail

The final countdown, the top of the heap
Down the garden path, following like sheep
Journey’s end, tomorrow’s another day
Time waits for no man, living for today

Johnny come lately, larger than life
Slow on the uptake, trouble and strife
From the get-go, the cold light of day
In the lap of the gods, nothing to say

A window of opportunity, an also-ran
Flying high, topping up my tan
Guest of honour, tickets at the door
Taking a dip, ship to shore

Losing the will, *******
Giving evidence, class dismissed
No confidence vote, majority rules
Something out of nothing, only fools

By the skin of your teeth, not a hair out of place
Wind swept, not in the race
The devil you do, wrong end of the stick
Missing the point, in the thick of it

Going nowhere, driving me mad
This way out, both good and bad
All washed up, rocky road to ruin
Rites of passage, something is brewing

Lest we forget, taking a break
Clear as mud, for goodness sake
Testing times, more than your fair share
Top of the ladder, the rightful heir.

Master of your destiny, captain of your ship,
At the helm, Shooting from the hip
Hell on earth, best of a bad bunch
Back in a while, out to lunch

I am the voice of reason
Available to you through every season
Through thick and thin, I’ll keep you right
Give you gloves when you need to fight

The voice of reason just for you
Seeping through your every sinew
Absorb my words heed my advice
You must listen at any Price

I’m always here for your own good
To steer you, to do as you should
Eliminate doubt and give you might
Help you sleep soundly throughout the night

I am the voice of reason for your information
I serve you through sadness to elation
Pick you up and keep you strong
Give you strength to right every wrong

I always stay true to my task
Throw me some questions don’t be afraid to ask
But should the answer not be what you expect
Use it wisely to reflect

I’m ever the realist, the one that makes sense
I don’t dilly dally, I never sit on the fence
With you in your hour of need and in your celebration
I’m your voice of reason for each and every occasion

And just in case you find I’m not there
It’s not because I don’t care
I’m just trying to think of a way out for you
Stop you doing some things that you do

Just knock a little harder and I’ll soon be there
I promise I’ll come and my wisdom I’ll share
The voice of reason is never too far
I will follow wherever you are

Paper, it even sounds cool
Remember Paper Mache at school
Paper is a versatile beast
Paper can be folded and creased

Paper can hold your chips and cod
Paper holds the words of your god
Litmus paper turns a different hue
Paper you use when in the loo

Newspaper to get all your lies
Paper comes in many a disguise
Paper anniversary first year gone
Blank paper ready to write on

Sand paper’s rough but smooths things out
Paper cuts, paper tickets from a tout
Paperless office never to be
Remember paper comes from a tree

Rice paper, sugar paper, paper that’s embossed
Printer paper, blotting paper will absorb the cost
Carbon paper, gold leaf paper, cotton papers too
Origami, baking paper just to name a few

Paper for your love letters, notes to her indoors
Old discarded wallpaper to line your chest of drawers
Paper table cloth and napkins, paper plates and cups
Paper when your computer fails you, just for your back ups

Paper planes, Christmas decs, sticky labels to remind
Envelopes and stamps, paper roller blinds
Wrapping paper for presents, to make someone’s day
Fivers, tens and fifties, to help you pay your way

Paper mills keep turning, magazines and books
Paper muffin cups for bakers and for cooks
Paper bags to shop with, bunting to celebrate
Fancy tissue paper, paper to laminate

Paper for all of mankind, paper pocket diaries
Paper trails and shredders, papers for your enquiries
Paper in the wastepaper bin, paper piles so high
There’s nothing like a piece of paper 1,2 or 3 ply