Submit your work, meet writers and drop the ads. Become a member
James Daniel Jul 2023
4 boys in the pool, wrestling
And beside them a family of three
Dad, mum and girl of about 6

Getting into the raucousness of it
The family are wresting and swimming around
A pink ball between the three

Later the girl is just away from mum and dad, rubbing her eyes
And dad tackles mum a little
Overexcited

And mum says don't hold me like that
And affectionate dad comes round behind her

The 3 unite, mum checks on daughter

Some other mum saw me
As I went daydreaming
"That's what you want!"

I didn't look directly at the family as they left the pool
Just in the corner of my eye
As mum put on her slippers and walked away
James Daniel Jul 2023
Is there a song
to right my wrongs
To set todays foot
Strong?

Cos I will be back
Where nothing matters again
I forgot, again
And again

Is there a song
To say that I care?
That I will be there
That I won't disappear
Like the way of things
Like flesh
Holding things too wide and heavy?

Am I wrong to think there is?
What about now?

I give to it the truth of my own freedom
My eternal reach for it

Cos I know I'll be back here
Where we know
Black inside and out
No-one to believe in
Only hard truths
Weak arms
Weak legs
James Daniel Jul 2023
Lady Bird


We got home in the early morning
The after party on the boat was pretty pathetic
But the night, venue and music itself was tip-top
It's been a long time since I've been out on drugs
And it won't be the last

I went with Ahmet, my legend of a friend and housemate
We've booked ourselves for another next month, but that's the last one ever! I promise!

So I was sitting in the conservatory alone
In the morning sun
And I notice a Grand Lady Bird singing
I close my eyes and listen
We are all listening to her

They are definite phrases
Eloquent and heavy with her touch and emotion
Sighs of praise from the older women next door
I don't even speak her language
But she is singing her best, her most beautiful
And we are all pinned on her

Crash BANG!
The noisy big bird of a ***** crashed into the conservatory ceiling
And squarks like a rude fat idiot
Quiet, settle
He better not make another noise, fat ****

Lady Bird begins out of no-where
3 notes
She stops

We are all supporting her on, in our minds

The not such a good singing little supporter breaks into his best song
No, no, no, no says Elegant loving Lady bird
It carries on a bit, this back and forth, a bit of comedy
No, ahhh, no, ahhhh, no...

Somewhere in this I'd forgot to mention
Lady Bird was angry at me
I'd somehow, unknowingly got her attention
And she was reproaching me
I picked myself out of all the surrounds to be the one that Lady Bird was getting angry at
And I was listening so intently to her song
So you can imagine how quickly I wanted to sink and hide from her view

But later I did get to speak with her
I asked her if I should continue singing
She said yes it was good, and this is from her!
To go for it
But be smart......

So this is the story about Lady Bird in our back yard
I'll try to play with her next time, on the guitar
Let's see, she is out there
James Daniel Jun 2023
I'll run the day down
The one day that separates life and death

I'll chase the sun across the sky
And smoke all the stars in my pipe

It's one day
That separates life and death

One Day

One Day

One Day
James Daniel Jun 2023
On her arm is written
"A longing for home"
In her native tongue
Like an amber coloured sun

But she has big soft eyes
And everything else
And big lips I've got to kiss

One night, tonight
In a road of many nights
How many?
We don't know

So let's smile and touch
Warm and close
Hot and most

She lets it all hang out
Throwing her hair everywhere
There's no time to lose
No time to waste

The amber coloured sun
Watching over us, having fun
That longing for home
Ready as the air when you wake up
On the minds of everyone
James Daniel May 2023
A bird flew into the shed
While I was exercising

It must have been curious
Wanting warmth

So I let him stay

I went inside had lunch
Then thought to make him a warm box

Bought some worms
Delivered tomorrow

I put him in the box
Maybe I was careless

I left him there
It's not yet summer,

It's still cold

So I went back to check later
Turned on the lights

And found him in the corner
He was wet

I dropped him, reacting
Checking my hands for blood

It must have been wee
Or tears

He was dead

I buried him
With my pick axe

In the near dark
The cold backyard

Alive and Dead in a day

If that ever happens again
I'll bring it inside
James Daniel Apr 2023
I'm getting my life together

Almost cruising after the bumpy road

Tomorrow I don't know



Sometimes I think I can't do it

A feeling of helplessness

But I see thru it


I'm calmer or smarter these days

But I can't be sure

And the last few nights I've dreamt of fighting and women

Soft, loud


So even my dreams are noisy and restless

As I try to focus

To see it thru



I'm finally able, able as I'll ever be, consistently

My imagination is for these days
Next page