Andrew James Shepherd

Andrew James Shepherd Oct 2019

Like ghosts in the night
Sailing through the wind
Roaming and moaning
About the times when we sinned
Never quite at peace
Searching for the shore
Desperate to leave the water
To sleep for ever more
Why do we never find sanctuary
Our souls waiting to maroon
We crossed into dangerous waters
Hastily and much to soon
Let’s sing our song together
Holding hands in the dimming light
A sweet smile we give to each other
As we tip toe along in the night
A kiss from now and the past
Blessed but never forgotten
I remember how things once were
Before the troubled became the rotten

Andrew James Shepherd Oct 2019

The pigeon that sings in Trafalgar Square

A pigeon sings in Trafalgar Square
It has graceful charm
And bears no harm
As it sings in Trafalgar Square

A pigeon sings in Trafalgar Square
The joy it brings
When it lifts its wings
As it sings in Trafalgar Square

A pigeon sings in Trafalgar Square
Whilst watching migration
From across the nation
As it sings in Trafalgar Square

A pigeon sings in Trafalgar Square
And the world flows by
Like a lullaby
As it sings in Trafalgar Square

A pigeon sings in Trafalgar Square
Not a single care
For people who stare
As it sings in Trafalgar Square

A pigeon sings in Trafalgar Square
Then it flys up high
Without a goodbye
As it sings in Trafalgar Square

Andrew James Shepherd Oct 2019

Boats

The beautiful boats
The beautiful boats
Glorious examples
Of wood that floats

The beautiful boats
The beautiful boats
Wonderfully wrapped
In painted coats

The beautiful boats
The beautiful boats
That bob up and down
Like musical notes

Boats on the sea
Boats on the sea
The rich and famous
Are drinking their tea

Boats on the sea
Boats on the sea
Round the coast
For a minimal fee

Boats on the sea
Boats on the sea
A nice little cruise
Lucky old me

Andrew James Shepherd Oct 2019

When I go

When I go
Please follow my wishes
And spread my ashes
Over the dishes
Into the cups
And up the stairs
Over the carpets
Then around the chairs
Under the beds
On the sills
Even the drawers
Where I kept my bills
Seek out the places
Anywhere you can find
That traces of me
Have been left behind
Cause this is the place
Where I felt best
I smiled my face
And lived at rest
The kids called me dad
The cats licked my feet
Even when I was sad
Life was sweet
My partner gave me love
The house gave me space
Nowhere deserves me
More than this place
From the roof to the grass
To the fence to the gnome
This is where I want to be
In this place I called home

Andrew James Shepherd Oct 2019

Broken minds

In the mirrors I look fat
In the puddles I look thin
I can’t seem to control
The thoughts I’m letting in

I see faces in the flowers
I see faces in the trees
I always go up I always go down
Like waves riding the seas

Mistrust is my nightmare
Mistrust is my only friend
I tell this to my doctor
Upon who I have come to depend

Pills I swallow often
Pills I hate to take
But I need their calming reassurance
Otherwise I’ll just fall and break

Andrew James Shepherd Oct 2019

World war letter

Open your mail
Open your heart
The contents inside
Are sad from the start
Read the words
Read the truth
Jotted down lines
Reveal the prove
Cry from your eyes
Cry from your soul
Oh how this letter
Has taken its toll
It’s the end of the beginning
It’s the beginning of the end
You’ve lost your love
My dear old friend
I know you’ll yearn
I know you’ll miss
That needed last letter
Sealed with a kiss
He died as a hero
He died strong and tall
But the kind words you say
In truth mean nothing at all

Andrew James Shepherd Oct 2019

Goodbyes

Take me if you must
I won’t create a fuss
Let me breath out my chest
Cause since a baby on the breast
You’ve always been taking me anyway

Lead me along those jagged lines
Of empty fields and emotional climbs
As the clocks all chime
Ive known with time
You’ve always been taking me anyway

Let me rest in a place
As you end the chase
Then I listen to the cry’s
When they say their goodbyes
You’ve always been taking me anyway