Why did I fall asleep
Slips the thought into my brain
I need to calm myself down
No tequila for me again
Where did the beach go
It's so silent and serene
Adrift in the Mediterranean Sea
With the bluest sky I've ever seen
I only dropped off for a second
And now I'm floating away
The waters nice and calm though
It's nice to watch the waves sway
What's that in the distance
It's triangular and dark
Oh no looks like a fin
It appears to be a shark
My watch says eleven forty
I hope it doesn't fancy brunch
Now where has it disappeared to
Can't see it no.....CRUNCH

The eve of trepidation has arrived
As the train pulls away from the station
I fidget with my bristly eye brow
And say goodbye to my decaying nation
Onto pastures new for me
Praying this sojourn lasts for longer
The view of the beautiful countryside
Leaves me transfixed in awe and wonder
The ticket inspector arrives
And clips my pass of gold
He wishes me a good day
Which it is if truth be told
I can't wait to climb the mountains
Or walk through the rugged pass
See a show at the theatre
Maybe meet a pretty lass
One day I will have to return
My hearts tells this deep down
The thought of this makes me weep
As I don't yearn for my old troubled town

Today I watched the world
Rolling along like an applecart
Every apple that fell to the floor
Resembled a part of me
Many were ripe and full of life
While some were small and colourless
And as the cart bobbled along
Its wheels seemed to lift
Then fall to the ground
Like my soul frequently does
When I think of my existence
But then the cart gets faster
And the apples seem sturdier
They don’t fall down as much
Seeming to acceptance the rocky road
Till finally they’re settled
Nicely snuggled together
Making me smile and believe
That the world isn’t as bad as it seems

I walk across the grass
And read the stone
A question I ask
Were they alone

Did they die at peace
Or was the world tough
Was death a release
Had they just had enough

I know it seems morbid
To think in that way
People probably think it's horrid
What my mind has to say

When I think of the lives
It hurts me inside
Pretty flowers are left
For people who have died

I pass through the iron gates
To see who's around
What does my future hold
Before I go underground

Treading light footed on the grass
And avoiding wild prickly thorns
We were all young adolescent children
On life's chess board we were pawns
Running over the bridge
Which spanned a reed filled river
We watched the ripples shimmer
As a cool wind made us shiver
From the bridge we saw the city centre
And the Cathedral at its core
The football ground glimmered to the east
But we didn't care for the score
Houses fed off the grassy banks
It was the estate we all called ours
The dreaded rent office showed its face
In front of smoke filled cooling towers
A gang of unruly ruffians
Shouted from the bank below
We'd already made a head start though
And besides they were much to slow
The landslide gave us such fun
Cause the eighties seemed full of gloom
A Tory regime tried to hurt us
But the flowing river made us grow and bloom

Running for its life
The fields seems so long
Foul dog saliva chasing
From a horse driven throng
Poor fox knows the outcome
The game is a nasty affair
It's jumps over the bushes
To escape hounds without a care
They sniff into the brambles
And bark a sweet delight
Their prey is completely cornered
As it cowers with fear and fright
The rest is just all history
Another successful hunt
They trot back to the club house
With the killer at the front

The mirror cracks a thousand times
Into tiny shards of glass
Each one resembles my life
What has gone and whats to pass
Different stories and different times
Glittering in the pieces
Situations of highs and lows
Until the my energy ceases
The largest fragment cuts me
And i'm reminded of a night
When my friends drank to much
Causing us all to fight
A tiny slither of glass
Rolls around in my hands
I think of being younger
And sailing to distant lands
All the debris is cleared
Then thrown into the bin
Amazing how nostalgia works
Whilst plans start to begin

This ambling shambling
Trouble sampling man
Enters

Blows through you
And you family too
Now

To feed greed
Like a demon seed
Forever

Oh hells bells
This man smells
Bad

Mind says run son
Or he’s won
Quick

Drive my car slowly
A car made to last
The engine purrs like a cat
But the exhaust gives off a blast
Turning heads on the high street
As the smoke engulfs the air
Pedals are sticking like glue
My neighbours stop and stare
The boot suddenly flies open
And my door drops to the floor
Headlights start to flicker
This car is running no more
Kick the tyres in frustration
Slam the hood in anger
Then the wheel trim rolls away
I've bought myself a banger

***** old harbour where the boats moor
And the locals idly wander by
I sit with my easel on the grass
And stare into the sky
The splash of paint on canvas
Makes me complete in my soul
Majestic colours above me
A clear blue day brings me to extol
The gesticulation between the boat men
As they cast they're nets into the deep
Makes me fill with awe and wonder
At the secrets they have to keep
Ripples glide along the water
And my brush captures the sight
Then I rest myself back down again
To watch the waves in white
I stand and stretch my arms
While above birds fly in a V
I contemplate where to go next
Somewhere beautiful somewhere free

Angry angry angry
Smother the drifting light
Blanket blanket blanket
I am here and I am the night
Creep creep creep
Into rooms and across sky
Fear fear fear
I am here with the purpose to fright
Hide hide hide
Away into any nook and cranny
Listen listen listen
I've emerged as the time is right
Stop stop stop
It blinds me something rotten
Leave leave leave
The sun has won the fight

I stepped on the train
Which had an old fashioned feel
The little compartments looked warm and inviting
I opened a door
Made of wood and painted varnish
And a fear bolted through me like lighting
The two French gents
Gave me a curious gaze
As they spoke in their strong native tongue
Was it I they were discussing
As a guilt loomed over
I was thinking had I done something wrong
Back down the passage
Heart pounding
I slipped into another booth
But this one was worse
As the family produced smiles
My mind was a flow with untruth
The window was open
My head leaned out
I couldn't stand the torture anymore
A train rattled past
Think of the family
The misery it would bring to their door
A group of school children
All pushing past
Sir said a gentle hello
I nodded my head
Then closed my eyes
Hoping they'd hurry up and go
The train came to stop
Three stations short
Of the destination I intended to depart
But this was how it went
Every day on this train
As it stole my mind and then stole my heart

I said
You said
She said
They said
He said
All said
I don't need you
Don't mean that.

I did
You did
She did
They did
He did
All did
Go away from me
Don't mean that.

I saw
You saw
She saw
They saw
He saw
All saw
Don't speak to me
I don't mean that.

A chance encounter in the rain
The shortest minute of my life
But etched all the same
So little that meant so much
Four words
Beautiful but yet so simple
Thankyou so very much
No thankyou
For showing me kindness
Missing to me for so long

Why do you bug me
Hanging round my house
I hear the monotone buzzing
Quite frequently
My house is clean
As it should be
But their you go again
Causing a nuisance
Just make your way outside
Leave me in peace
Your fervent pestering
Is draining
The rooms aren't colourful
Through a flys black and white eyes
What keeps you soaring
Is it boredom
Windows are now open
And the sun is shining in
Take your throbbing wings
And leave

Holy are the
                         birds Holy is
                         the sun Holy
                         is the ground
that we walk upon Holy are the trees  
Holy is the rain Holy are the memories that nest in our brain Holy is the grass Holy is the snow Holy is the darkness    
                      that lurks when
                      times are low
                      Holy is the new
                      born Holy are
                      the seas Holy is
                      a flag blown in
                      the breeze Holy
                      are soldiers Holy
                      is the night Holy
                      is a boxer hurt
                      in the fight Holy
                      are the animals
                      Holy is me Holy
                      are people on the
                      road to be free

My feet trudge through the sand
The searing heat is unrelenting
And the wind whispers my name
As the shadow takes my hand

No face has this ghoul
It's blackness pitched at full
Hypnotised by its power
Im it's follower, it's fool

The icy shimmering waves
Turn my body limb and lifeless
Fear suddenly engulfs me
Its me the phantom craves

The saltwater makes me choke
My assailant touches my face
I now see who led me here
And my voice lets out a croak

Father please release me
I fear that I'm going to die
Then darkness surrounds my being
I wash up for people to see

Dressed as a king I wandered with the procession
The costume my mother designed for me
As a young boy I remember all the dressed up vehicles
The colours were beautiful to see
Crowds of people stood and cheered
When they recognised local faces
Family and friends waved from below
To the lucky ones who filled the spaces
We all followed the engines
And I said hello to a friend
My sister was somewhere amongst it all
I later found her when the fun came to an end
I swear it seemed brighter that day
As the sun shone like gods eye in the sky
Watching over the happiness and togetherness
He wanted a day of peace so he made us work hard and try

A punch a kick and then the liquid
Running across my face
Repulsive saliva enters my mouth
It's not a pleasant taste
Laughing and cajoling
The footsteps creep away
From the crumpled heap below
My energy gone for the day
Like an apple thrown to the floor
I'm left battered and darkly bruised
This was a Neanderthals playtime
I'm glad I kept them amused
Buzzing sound of my mobile
Tentatively I let out a yelp
Tears roll down my cheeks
As I somehow utter help
I only wanted to go bowling
Nothing less or nothing more
But I encountered the wrong type of animal
Now I'm here bloodied and sore

Like water on a fast flowing river.
That's family.
Like flowers that blossom then die.
That's family.
Like lions growling in the wild.
That's family.
Like the cold creeping under your skin.
That's family.
Like a compass that leads the way.
That's family.
Like a siren hurting your ears.
That's family.
Like a child who blurts out the truth.
That's family.
Like your shadow always by your side.
That's family.
Like an addiction that won't let you go.
That's family.

Through the worm infested wood
And bales of smoky hay
I watch the lady dance
She sways like the ocean
As her arms like to play
Eyes closed so solitude is assured
I'm mesmerised by her grace
Porcelain coloured skin with blue crystal eyes
Covered by the fairest locks of hair
Beauty radiants from her gentle looking face
And I don't know what she's dancing to
Some gentle and soothing songs
In a world only she sees
To music only she hears
It's a lone party where only she really belongs
I wish I could enter that place
Just for a second of one day
We could dance in motion together
Be it as friends be it as lovers
I want us both to hear the music play

The mechanical device springs to life
As I slowly look around
You see some really beautiful sights
When your this high above the ground
I see church spires in the distance
And cars that look like ants on the streets
Dark green colours of park land
Surround a stadium with orange seats
The beach sprawls out into the distance
Where families take a rest
The ugly sights of cranes and construction
Destroying history which I detest
I view row upon row of houses
And watch the chimney smoke waft   very near
When I sit upon the big wheel
My life becomes all to clear

Maybe I'm a loser
Or maybe that's just a thought
Maybe 2017
Will stop me feeling nought
Maybe I'll achieve something
Something has to give
Maybe I'll be happy
Something new and more postive
Maybe there's a slow down
Of all the horrid things
Maybe I should see
What 2017 brings
Maybe I'm just moaning
Cause I'm quite good at that
Maybe I've missed the good
That's been pulled from the hat
Maybe I should say happy new year
And enjoy what the future throws
Maybe it's time to look forward
See what happens and how it goes

On a burning staircase stood Judy
Her skin blistering in the relentless heat
‘Come down Miss’!, cried the fireman
But Judy didn’t understand the world
As we do

As the flames rose higher
Judy’s clothes began to smoke away
‘Please, please, trust me’!, shouted the fireman
And then Judy began to sing a hymn
In her beautiful voice

Black smoke flooded her lungs
Judy tried hard to keep up the tempo
‘I have to go, I have to go’!, sobbed the fireman
Judy coughed between note and glorious note
How she was endearing

The house melted like butter
Judy was a memory in the past
‘She wouldn’t come down’, sorrowed the fireman
The song echoed in his ears
Then he wiped his eyes

Through sleep laden eyes
I see your Raven hair
My fingertips caress the skin of your back
Feeling the smooth soft skin
You stir silently and stroke my face
It feels like the touch of an angel in flight
A small grin spreads across my already happy face
And trumpets play in the air
When I utter the words, "Love you"
Then you reply with a mesmerising sweet smile
Which elevates my soul into a trance
I lie back into the warm embracing quilt
Knowing I'm lucky I'm complete I'm yours

Good night and all the best from the crew of the Mary Celeste
We will leave a rusting sword
And some food on the table
In the tiniest of hopes
We can create a beautiful fable
Of where we all really went

Did sharks eat our bones under watery undertones
Have cannibals devoured our skins
As a sacrifice to their god
Were we blown away with the winds
Or have aliens whisked to new worlds

History books will ponder over the Mary Celeste and all its wonder
Why or what and where
Did they go and when will the answer be
One day the truth will out
And our minds can finally be free
Theorists will be heroes or crumble into dust

Folklore will imprint our name like stars on the walk of fame
The books will sell forever
Can they really be dead they’ll say
Believe it if you dare
What’s makes a crew leave and go away
We’ll leave you guess a bit longer

Goodnight from the Mary Celeste
Sleep well and think of us always

Angelic visions shroud me
In fields of lush green grass
I kick of heavy shackles
And listen to the crickets gas
The clouds slowly float by
A greyness lightly tints the sky
Nature exists in everything little thing
From the soil to a buzzing tiny fly
My sleeves are rolled half mast
Brown shoes have been left at my side
And I sprawl in a daze in the sun
It feels like the world has folded and died
A bird soars carefree above me
It's looks beautiful in black and grey
Shame birds cant understand people
Cause I think we all have plenty to say
Maybe I should do this more often
Just relax in a peaceful tranquil sea
Dream some dreams in the daylight
And just appreciate how it feels to be free

Through the eyelids
All yellow and hazy and warm
The sun gently creeps in
A freshness blows
As the birds sing
Signalling the day is to begin
Dust particles dance in the air
Like midges near a river
The weary eyes feel wet
A yawn is stifled
Arms stretched up
What mysteries await me yet
Snuggled under cotton
Wrapped like a mummy
The chill is creeping around
No work today
A weekend release
Loafing is duly abound

Splash goes the rock
That I throw over my head
As the youths stand and laugh
When it falls into the bed
The bed of water all foamy
Which shimmers in the sun
This is the life right here
The days of having fun
Not like my father
All stressed and with hair of grey
And not like my mother
She hides anxieties every day
I ride my bike through the streets of town
And kiss any girl who I decide
Especially the really naughty ones
They're wildness they never hide
I’m a smoker with my circle
And we all like to drink a lot
Drugs don’t really entertain us
We like to protect the minds that we’ve got
I love life and life loves me
I know I’ll grow up some day
But for now I’m happy to rock and roll
This is the time the kids come out to play

Tremendously they sparkle
And what really is so remarkable
Is those earrings only cost her twenty pence

Shimmering in the sunlight
The child’s beautiful colourful kite
Blissfully happy for the cost of thirty pence

Explosive words leap from the page
In the book that’s all the range
Gripped in fiction for just five pence

Content in bars of wood
A baby sleeps as a baby should
All peaceful for the price of ten pounds

Buying hotels across the board
Putting competitors to the sword
The board game for only a pound

Ice cream on your nose
And we laughed for a little while
The ducks ate the bread thrown
Then I helped you over the stile
We lay down on the grass
All dooey eyed and full of love
I don't want you go you said
As I stared at the clouds above
One day I will leave her I know it
Complications are difficult to heal
Hate will be strong towards us
But it won't change how we feel
Walking through the trees
Kicking the leaves lazing on the floor
There's a restlessness in your manner
It's because you want so much more
Be bold, be decisive and be happy
You can't hide this away forever
Grab true love as it's hitting you
All you want is to be together
Please god don't punish us
After all it's you that planted the seed
Something must have prompted your actions
Was it you who saw our hearts bleed

My ashes have been laid to rest in the old flower bed
Between the roses and the daffodils
While her tears soak down into the soil
I stand next to her side for a while
Hoping she'll sense my presence
But its all to no avail
I'm residing in purgatory now
Just till I get the nod
And the pearly gates are finally open
I can't bear to see her sullen demeanour
Sadness is like a chain round the heart
It has a mind of its own
Maybe I can leave when the chain breaks in two
Not really sure when that will be
But for now I will keep on trying
To soothe my lovers soul
I'm going to try and bring a radiance back
Then hopefully she'll move on without me
And think of me in memory rather than sorrow

A world away but I can touch it
As reality seems to detach
When the soul just wants to come back
But it seems so hard to card
Breath as hard as you can
And have your loved ones near

From my window I see it daily
All withered and tangled in a mess
Its leaves have a long time fallen
Now a spectical so hard to digest
Through the rain I watch it stand
No friends no companion no life
Beautiful yet utterly haunting
Bark all broken by pen and by knife
Theres a nest sitting in the branches
The more I look the more I smile
A tree has now gained some purpose
For years or maybe for a little while
And then a thought enters my head
Which only time can let us see
Will I watch it crash and tumble
Or is that tree going to out live me

Twisting or lying prostate

There’s a world in my head
Where I go when I feel dead
In this world I take control
And take back the emotions stole
I feel happy in my shape
A boy with a means of escape
A solider feeling refined
Power undefined
Telling the world to go to hell
That’s the nice version as well
Cause this is the coping device
The world I like to entice

Sweat drips onto the plate
Tears roll down my cheek
Hands fidget almost dramatically
No inner peace can I seek
Feet tap on the floor
Arms twitch in pulsating tandem
My mouth is as dry as the Sahara
And thoughts attack me at random
Fun times we used to share
Have gone and moved away
And now she's gone to
Why couldn't I make her stay
The petals are on the carpet
As the stems poke out of the bin
How can I live with an ice cube
She said before drowning in her gin    
The house is cold and empty
My heart has now shrunk in size
All I had to be was honest and open
But its only now that I realise
To late to find solutions
Our marriage now lies in a heap
We pulled it apart piece by piece
Till we both just fell asleep

Rough spoken men with hands like shovels
Overbearing women full of laughter and cuddles
***** brick mills and deserted old pits
United and City and kids with zits
Redundant old docks where boats used to sail
Now luxury penthouses for the rich to prevail
Finney, Kingsley and the great Robert Powell
The Hollies, the Beatles and the Gallaghers scowl
Tony Wilson, Factory Records and his rebellious acts
Hadrians Walls reveals many artefacts
Strangeways, gangsters and criminal ways
But our streets are safe as the government says
Tramstops, trainlines and buses fly along
Taking the North West’s finest to the places they belong
Canal Street, China town and the Northern Quarter
Scarily high death rates in the cold bitter water
Pride, Eid and diversity through the streets
Down the motorway lies the Cavern where the Liverpudlians still meet
Tragedy and solidarity and the beautiful bee crest
This is my place of birth this is the North West

Oh my beautiful house
I still see you through the carnage and debris
Scattered wood and broken glass
Charred remains of the staircase
A stove I should have extinguished
But I remember you how you were
Smouldering ashes and the smell of heat
Dark patches on crumbling walls
A picture of my father still hanging
The sole survivor of the blaze
Makes me remember you how you were
Memories drift up into the air
Like spirits floating to the light
Or genies escaping their lamps
I won't forget the joy you gave me
Restoration will take almost a year
And my parents house is nostalgia
Soon though we will be one again
Making new imprints of happiness
So be patient my decrepit old friend
Till the day I finally get back home

Their asleep, their asleep
I breath a sigh of relief
As my gentle brain unravels
And my heart begins to cheep

They snore, they snore
So content do I feel
The thoughts begin to spill out
Whilst my stamina comes to the fore

Silent breathing, silent breathing
A world of comfort floods my soul
When I look and feel all sentimental
With all the pride that I am weaving

Sweet little dreams, sweet little dreams
Share the two of them from the same pod
Tears of happiness well from my eyes
Causing my smile to burst at its seams

Across the water she sits so proud
With a moat made of clear blue sea
And as darkness engulfs the cloud
She looks magnificent and free
The ghosts of centuries gone by
Return to their rightful abode
They form shadows when they die
As they re-enact the days of old
Locals still like to tell the stories
Of the King who isn't at peace
Trying to find his past glories
Not realising he's long deceased
And the jester who's clowns around
With a laugh that's somehow hypnotic
He slipped in the rocks and drown
In a time when his life was chaotic
When the sun rises from the waves
It brings tourists wanting to know
Of the history this beauty now saves
As its legend continues to grow

It's cold in the trench
But it's hotter up there
Safer to read my newspaper
Than hear the shots ricochet of my helmet
He's shouting down at me
In an aggressive mundane manner
Shoot shoot shoot
I didn't start this ****** war
A shiny silver coin
Catches my peripheral vision
And he smirks so smugly
Our king George IV
Well let him get in this trench
And I'll have afternoon tea
With playwrights and police chiefs
Safari in Kenya and visit the sick
That's more like me
And now he's grabbed me
Holding my throat
Im struggling to breath
Okay I'll go up if that what's needed
The smoke makes me nauseous
The smell of rotting flesh lingers
Awful truly awful
The pain is intense
As it's flashes through my chest
The blood trickles quickly
My head starts to swirl
That's it then I'm guess I'm dead
Shot down in an instant
War ****** War

We sit upon it wearily
A blue sphere dying in space
Listen to what nature is telling us
Death is inevitable to the human race
Plants that release our life source
Struggle and feel the strain
As heat engulfs their being
But nobody feels that pain
The clouds that form above us
Are breaking day by day
The hole is getting bigger
Ignorance is paving its way
As rivers start to become deserts
Sister Mars is showing us our fate
We have to change our thinking
Before desolation is served on a plate
Green house effects our being
The sphere is imploding from inside
When the Earth and the Air are rotting
We have nowhere left to hide

We see you quite often
As you bang your head off the wall
We watch you struggle with moods
When you feel scared, lonely and small

Our shadows cast discreetly
But through the tears you catch us out
When you talk to us in your dreams
Your voice speaks and begins to shout

Like the air we're all around you
We know how much you hide
From the unpleasantness that lingers
And is eating you up inside

You can join us when your ready
Believe us when we say it's not yet
The door to happiness is ajar
Just push it open any chance you get

The soul that binds your bones
Still holds a flickering light
It's been dipping low for a while
But it's not going out tonight

Locked out
Out of her kingdom
Out of her abode
Out of her sanctuary
Out of her haven
On her own
Watch the misery
She is angry
She is upset
She is devastated
She is livid
As her coffee hits the door
See sadness become smiles
As here comes the neighbour
As here comes the keys
As here comes peace
As here comes release
When she opens the door

In anger I drew a picture
Of an injustice that never was
Through blinkered eyes
And heavy sighs
I kept believing it’s because…

But in a fleeting moment
A deep reflection rose again
Through meandering thought
And emerging shame
As the realistic entered my brain

It’s hard to say your sorry
Much harder to say your wrong
So through clear thinking
And a self cleansing
You accept you’ve been stupid all along

My friend my only friend
Listening to my plights
Never leaving my side
When I’m lonely and feeling sad

Joking and sometimes cajoling me
With acidic unnerving wit
But always out of fondness
Leaving me no doubt of your love

A life so solitary and dismal
Without love or human companionship
From male or female kind
You’ve never let me down

Piers and concert halls
To party’s and royal performances
We speak like brothers often do
And you guide me all the way

Made from wood and speckles of paint
With a flat cap and a suit
Smiling from ear to ear
The vision of insane happiness

Listen to me just one last time
As I open the bottle of rounding pills
And swallow them in quick succession
Then kiss your head goodbye my only friend

Hammer and chisel
Dust and spittle
Break and feel free
To remake me

Hammer and chisel
Dust and spittle
Take down the walls
And relight my halls

Hammer and chisel
Dust and spittle
Repair with care
And I’ll get there

Hammer and chisel
Dust and spittle
Repaint the blue
Make me feel new

Hammer and chisel
Dust and spittle
Nail up a sign
That reads I’m fine

It's the same monotonous walk
Along the dull lonely road
The only company I can see
Is a fat ugly toad
Past the wire fences
And the fields withered and brown
The depressing thought of half and hour
Until I reach the town
I can never get a signal
So I keep the phone away
Theres no point in taking it out
I've no one to speak to today
Why did I take this job?
Was my sanity off key
It's not a great role anyway
I'm the man that they don't see
My fathers words still haunt me
When I told him I was moving south
Make you sure find work wisely
Cause it leaves a bad taste in the mouth