What they see is my public face;
What I want them to see only.
Much more lies below the surface
Known only to those dear to me.
The real me, if they look closely,
Lies hidden in my poetry.

One who reasserts power constantly
Shows strong signs of weakness, impotency!
Though they may deny it vigorously,
Perhaps protest a little too loudly?

Biting cold, rain, sleet and snow,
Temperatures very low,
Crunchy grass, freezing mornings,
Roads like glass; weather warnings!
Traffic jams, travel chaos,
Accidents to delay us.
Buses, trains stuck at stations,
Many flight cancellations.

Time for wearing winter gear
When coats and hats reappear,
When gloves and scarves are the norm
Anything to keep us warm!
When crying eyes, runny nose,
Frozen fingers, tingling toes
Are the order of the day;
Hard to keep the cold at bay.

Schools are shut to kids delight,
Can’t make work though try you might.
Home is where most folk are at
Turning up their thermostats
Heating on all night and day,
Kids indoors, not out to play.
Most folk staying in no doubt
Happy they need not go out.

But all do not have such luck
Perhaps a good time to look
In on neighbours the odd day
To make sure they are ok.
Maybe help the homeless too,
Do anything we can do
To ensure we all weather
These Winter storms together.

Though it is brave to keep going
Whilst knowing what it is to fail...
It takes courage to keep going
Whilst knowing you cannot prevail.

Though those who can are many
Those who do are few...
The difference if any
Is the desire to?

'Tis not the deep we should fear, No,
For we know not what is present;
Truth is we should fear the shallow
For all we do know is absent.

In life the greatest trick
Is to see the magic;
The magic to conceive
In all that we perceive.

Who a deaf ear, a blind eye turn,
The chance to speak against wrong spurn,
By their inaction, their silence,
Guilty are in every sense.

Has instant gratification
Been the ruination
Of an entire generation?
Did meeting this need but foment
A strong sense of entitlement
Much to our children's detriment?
How many have not grown to learn
That what one wants, what one might yearn
One has to work for; has to earn?
When this poison seed we have sown
And nurtured becomes fully grown,
The blame is ours and ours alone!

Let not flattery, praise beguile
Lest you become another's foil!

Though give up writing never would he,
It was his very reason to be.
Whether published or not
He did not care a jot...
Because he needed to write you see!

As in and out one must breathe
in order to survive,
One who writes must also read
to keep their work alive.

How the burning flames of passion
Can the coldest of hearts fashion...
Frozen, impenetrable,
Of love no longer capable.

Gliding gracefully across the night sky
Inevitably earth bound
A solitary star succumbs and dies
Devoid of any discernible sound.

Slipping silently from way on high
Falling freely toward a fatal tryst
Burning brightly for the blink of an eye
Soon sadly ceasing to exist.

Reflect on all you take for granted,
What you do not value readily,
And think if for those things you wanted
How much different your life could be.

It happens on buses, in restaurants, or on trains,
On my work break, in waiting rooms, or on aeroplanes
It even happens on holidays and on nights out too
It drives me absolutely mental but what can I do?

I always get stuck with the one person, (I never seem to fail)
Who feels the need to tell their life story, (in all its gory detail)
Is it something about me, or is it just downright bad luck?
What makes people like these think I could give one f..k?

I try my best not to engage, but I do not like to be rude
Though I want to say Shut Up! I’m just not in the mood!
They start to talk, I disengage, it’s a real battle of wills
But they carry on regardless, have they no social skills?  

I try to make it obvious I’m not the type who gives a sh.t”,
that I am not someone who cares, even just a little bit
But they miss all the signals, that much is obvious
As they carry on regardless, completely oblivious!  
  
Now we all have our problems but we do not feel the need to share
So what makes these people think a complete stranger will care
Is offloading to strangers for them some kind of great panacea?
Or do these people just suffer from acute verbal diarrhoea?

As they prattle on I nod, make all the appropriate noises
If there was a competition for talkers these people would win prizes
While amazed by the fact these people never seem to draw breath
I fight an ever growing desire to simply beat them to death

Some things you don’t discuss with strangers, should it require explanation?
But nothing seems sacred, no such thing as “too much information”
These people tell me intimate details about themselves and their lives
Stuff you and I would hesitate to tell parents, siblings or wives

They seem to think I am their counsellor, some kind of therapist
When God was giving out social skills, they were obviously missed
They have absolutely no boundaries, have never heard of discretion
I pity the poor priest who has to listen to their confession!

And women are the worst, lest there be any doubt
You would not believe the personal stuff they tell me about
They get very inappropriate, though I do the best I can
To remind them of the fact they are talking to a man!

Some of these people have meltdowns, lose the plot altogether
And a little part of me just wants to say “Whatever!”
But I look in their eyes, where I often see tears glistening
And despite all my best efforts, I always end up listening

Those I meet just once on trips, well they are bad enough
But those in my social circle think I am their new BFF
Even though when I bump into them I could not be much colder
It is never long before they start crying on my shoulder

And soon they’re sending friend requests to me on Facebook
And following me on Twitter, God they’re everywhere I look
No matter how I try I cannot seem to shake them loose
So now I am seriously considering becoming a recluse

While these people are annoying, I have to say I’m worse
Because I really start to care, what an awful ****** curse
When I should just tell these people to please leave me alone
I start to listen to their issues, so I cannot really moan!

We should have more time for those in need; that is my belief
and my listening to these people seemed to give them some relief
but while these people seemed much better, having got things off their chest
I am bothered by all their issues and find I am constantly stressed

So if you meet me now I might seem very unsociable altogether
But my experiences with these people have pushed me to the end of my tether
And so I have taken my mothers advice, (she obviously knew the dangers)
For she always warned me as a child; “Never talk to strangers!”

Still waters run deep
Where under the surface sleep
Waves of emotion

Who thinks they are perfect
Have one major defect;
Assuming one can be,
Themselves especially!

I had a little cry today,
I shed a tear or two,
Though what about I cannot say...
I was just feeling blue.

Do cover your cough or your sneeze,
Dispose of hankies safely please.
Wash your hands immediately,
With soap and water thoroughly
For twenty seconds if not more,
And more frequently than before.

Disinfect ‘oft used surfaces,
Refrain from touching your faces,
Leave space between you and others;
At least six feet or two metres.
Stay at home where safe you shall be
To best protect your family.
The governments guidance obey
And “flatten the curve” we just may.

On each of us there’s an onus
To stop the spread of this virus;
We’re in this together truly,
Do your part! Act responsibly!

The day you left my heart did break,
Each day you're gone my soul doth ache.

Until give up on yourself you do,
I shall never give up on you.

And even then...

Standing here on Earth
Both Sun and Moon in the sky
Who, what, where, when, why?

There are those who do possess
All that they might need and more
Who despite that nonetheless
Least appreciate their lot.
There are those who have much less
But appreciate much more
What little they do possess
And make the most of their lot.
Perhaps in life happiness
Depends not on having more,
But on focusing far less
On those things we have not got.

The sad skeletal remains
of once magnificent trees
stand scattered on the terrain
as far as the eye can see.
Soaked by snow, sleet and rain,
Blown bare by cold winds each one;
Frozen time and time again,
Warmed by a weak winter sun.
Branches like bony fingers
Protruding towards the skies
Where birds like deaths harbingers
Lament with long lonely cries.

Is it not strange, it seems so to me
How much women change after matrimony
When we went steady for every date
She did not spend hours getting ready, was not always late
She was more than happy with the smallest present
She never once nagged me, was always so pleasant.
She always looked great, stood out in the crowd
Always telling her mates how I made her so proud.

A love life so fantastic, every single night
Though marriage seemed drastic it all seemed so right
Yes I was her king and could totally understand
Her constantly hinting I would make a great husband.
I eventually said Yes and we strode down the aisle
All was joy and happiness, for a short while
But then it all went wrong, very unhappily
The honeymoon did not last that long, regrettably

Her nagging was incessant, she was always in a strop
I welcomed the silent treatment; it made the nagging stop
She spent more time out shopping than she did with me
Never stopped ‘til she was dropping, I was facing bankruptcy
Yet when we were going anywhere, (which became a rare thing)
she never had a thing to wear, which meant even more shopping.
Our love life was non existent; she never cut me a break
She seemed to have an almost persistent, night time headache

She let herself go, some days not even getting dressed
She put on a pound or so which had her constantly stressed
She started comfort eating and took to the wine of a night
There was no point in my speaking, it always ended in a fight.
Try as I might, she never seemed to be satisfied
It seems I could do no right, though God knows I tried.
There was nothing I could say, even less that I could do
I thought fondly of our wedding day when our love was true

She never seemed to think of me like she did before
though hand on heart honestly, I could do no more
I tried absolutely everything but it was all in vain
Told her I would do anything to have her love me again
But everything she loved about me, she now seemed to hate
She treated me like I was the enemy, it was all too late
So I walked out the door thinking what an awful shame
vowing never to get married anymore, thanks all the same.

More should use their common sense ere
It becomes uncommonly rare!

My wife woke up the other morning
and positively glowered at me
I knew that look was some kind of warning
But wondered what on earth it could be?

It was quite obvious she was not happy
Though I had absolutely no idea why
I tried to talk to her but she was so snappy
Looked at me like she wished I would die.

I thought it might be about my snoring
Which I knew was very bad of late
though that normally had her shouting and roaring
and not in this silent but deadly state

Was it my restless legs syndrome again?
had my kicking kept her up all night?
Or had I hogged all the duvet yet again?
I knew something was not quite right

It was like waiting for a bomb to explode
the silence was truly agonising
my self confidence began to erode
had I done something without realising?

I knew I was definitely in mortal danger
That I needed to tread very carefully
She looked at me like I was some kind of stranger
Actually, more like I was her worst enemy!

I had no option but to push a bit harder
Thoughts of personal safety I left behind
I had to find out what was wrong with her
Before I went completely out of my mind

And then like a veritable tsunami
The whole truth it just flooded out
I knew then why she saw me as the enemy,
Understood what the strop was about!

She accused me of having an affair
With none other than her best friend
She was convinced that I just did not care,
Thought our marriage had come to an end

She did not believe I could be so cold
That I would throw away all that we had
She was convinced and would not be told
It nearly killed me to see her hurting so bad

I tried to convince her that I loved her
That nothing was going on honestly
That I could never have an affair for,
I knew she was the only woman for me

It was hard to convince her it was not true
But she realised in the end it seems
That having an affair is not something I’d do
The whole affair only happened in her dreams!

The whole thing was an absolute nightmare
It was incredibly frightening
One thing we learned from the whole affair
Is that dreams can be a funny thing!

Like alarm bells sounding a warning,
We both saw it as a wake up call
Now we have a reality check every morning
Before doing anything else at all!

They are mostly elderly, frail, ghostly pale, lying there in their beds, comatose. Drugged out of their heads on painkilling meds, rarely with their mouths closed, though many with their teeth close. Tubes in their nose or oxygen masks for those for whom breathing has become too much of a task, I suppose. Totally oblivious to all those of us who have chosen to visit, just to be close. Lost in a world of their own, fighting battles unknown to most of us.

Is it not strange, it seems so to me
How much men change after matrimony
When we went steady for every date
He spent hours getting ready, always looked great
There were always flowers, cards or a present
He listened to me for hours, was never unpleasant.
Always so cavalier, caring and kind
Calming my every fear, easing my mind

A love life so fantastic, every other night
Though marriage seemed drastic it all seemed so right
Yes I was his queen, the love of his life
Which made him so keen to make me his wife.
I eventually said Yes and we were wed
I could not have guessed how he would wreck my head
Where did it all go wrong, it’s a mystery
We were not married that long, perhaps you could tell me.

When did the Boys appear, I would love to know
When they went out for a beer did he always have to go?
He turned into a slob, an awful sight to see
He spent more time in his job than he did with me.
He always seemed so grumpy, I never heard him laugh
When I talked to him I was jumpy, he often cut me in half
Our love life got so boring, I thought it might improve
It was only farting and snoring that made the earth move

The weekends were a nightmare, he was stuck in to the telly
It sickened me to see him there, all dishevelled and smelly
Watching football and racing, though he could never pick a winner
Leaving me to do the shopping, then serve him up his dinner
Around the house he was useless, he never did a tap
He always made his excuses, he talked some amount of crap
He treated me like a maid, he had no respect for me
And all the promises he made I remembered bitterly.

He never seemed to think of me like he did before
When he forgot our anniversary I could stay silent no more
When the mood was right I tried my best to explain
But all we did was fight, it was all in vain
All the things he loved about me, he seemed now to detest
I could not make him love me though I tried my level best
So I walked out the door wondering if I was to blame
But then I married twice more and each one was just the same.

I know not what you said,
What you did I cannot recall...
'Tis how you made me feel
That I remember most of all.

To win is not to beat all the rest,
Not all about the the public glory.
For some to beat their personal best
Is the sweetest form of victory.

The challenges we all overcome
Will never warrant medal or prize,
The obstacles overcome by some
Others hardly ever recognise.

Success cannot always be measured
By prizes and accolades alone.
Often the victories we treasure
To many others remain unknown.

Others we should never judge surely
It is incredibly dangerous
For us to stand as judge and jury
Says little of them but more of us.

I’m only in hospital because I am sick,
apparently, I’m quite stressed
Although I’m in relatively good nick,
what I need most is lots of rest

But they wake me every night at twelve o clock or so,
for my sleeping pill
Seriously though, I am beginning to know,
why it is that some people ****

Then they wake me every morning,
at a very early hour
Despite each and every warning
that I’m losing my will power

I have tried to convey my frustration,
in a calm and rational way
But they seem intent on sleep deprivation
for the duration of my stay

Losing sleep is bad enough
if it would just stop there
But I cannot even eat the stuff
the kitchen here prepare

It’s nearly always cold
and impossible to chew
And I’m fed up being told
that I’ve lost a stone or two

I have not been sick before
so taking pills is a battle
And if I have to take one more I know
I will start to rattle

Injections by the score,
so many every week
I do not drink liquids any more
because I’m afraid I’ll spring a leak

Every day a different test,
am I just a guinea pig?
I am trying my level best
not to give someone a dig

They seem obsessed with bowel movements,
always monitoring it,
they get frustrated when there’s no improvements,
but I could not give a sh*t!

Then there is the matron,
a scrawny ancient hen
Who excels at *******
and seems to hate all men

But the students are worse
as they are put through their paces
you can tell when things are serious
by the looks on their faces

I am here because of stress,
What a ****** joke!
Maybe I would care less
if they would just let me smoke

I have to check myself out
and I will not be back
Because staying here no doubt
will give me a heart attack

Thank god to be out of there,
some other sucker has my bed
Just one more day in there
and I would have gone home dead.

Though neither of us perfect be...
Together we work perfectly

Who would seek Peace, Harmony, Zen,
Should spend some time in a garden.

Do what it is you love to do
And poetry shall come to you,
Though whatever life puts us through,
Good or bad, may inspire us too.