Sportsman

I don’t care so much about football
that fills the screen so often in this mad country.
I do sometimes watch the highlights but
not the whole game which has long dull moments
when the players pass the ball to each other
and nothing dramatic happens.
I played football too as a boy, goalkeeper I was,
I took it personally when my team lost and walked home alone.
I didn’t want to play, but the others said I was good
didn’t feel like this when the horde came running to
my part the field, wanted to run away and the ****** ball hurt
when saving a goal.
One day I took my uncles gloves he wasn’t pleased, but let
I pass he couldn’t use them again to impress the ladies.
Finally, I found sanctuary in the local library they never thought
looking for me there.
I disappeared in the maze of books friends never found out
it was a great time, so much I had to discover,
still does, come to think of it.

Nightly awake
It’s three in the morning eczema in my legs
scratches like a myriad of ants and feet hurt
it is diabetes looking for an outlet,
I walk around the flat, a good thing it is large.
From somewhere a dog whines its owner shush
the dog must be in pain but can tell no one
where it hurts.
I hear the lift going down its owner is taking it out
for a night walk or to a vet, perhaps the dog
Has toothache
I think of drinking a glass of wine but since it is
dawn I settle for a cup of tea and a bisque
as the blood sugar is too low, I add a teaspoon
of sugar.
Looking out of the window in my study I can
see a light of a flat from a window in the opposite
the building, someone else who can’t sleep.
I massage my feet, the infernal scratching has
subsided and soon it will be morning.

we do not deserve their love

I hadn’t noticed my dog was getting old
it was shocking when I saw her struggling to jump on the sofa,
and her painful awakening growling to herself.
She sat in the sun on the terrace, but she worried
about me sitting inside.
Our walk was short she and I, tired quickly and I thought
I have to buy more firewood.
She had seen her life’s duty to look after me, she tried
barking when someone came near the houses.
We human do not deserve dog their fidelity is endless
and they overlook our fault.
Their love for us holds no reservation. It was a sad day
when she left me.

The Conference in Davos

Davos, men in classy suits, speak fluently
about the ills of the world-
They tell Greta she has to study economic
and coal will be phased out but slowly.

The young wonder why should they study
to get an excellent job in a multinational firm.

Davos, men in elegant suits, speak glibly
of growths, we don’t want more; we like less.
The young know this, we poor elderly too
and it is their future; those in silk suits fail to see.

Early morning

I know of a man who gets up early
to sample the morning dew.
He has found it is not from a wealthy house lawn
the dew taste good it is full of additive

when the goose flapped its wings pearls
of wisdom dripped into the water.

The man who collects morning dew
prefer undiluted grass in the glen.
The taste of wildflowers
send him into a spin of delightful dance.

To be and not to be.

My respect for life is profound
I try to become a vegetarian, but when I visited a restaurant
it was wildly expensive,
mind, it looked posh with livered waiters and haughty diners.
Ate soup and a glass of water
what I’m looking for a place that doesn’t charge the earth
for carrots and beans even when artistically served.
I don’t ask for much, just a platter of greens that taste
almost as good as goat chops with salad.
I bought something at a vegan shop it looked like meat
fried it tasted artificial but ate it all since I have no dog
and hate to waste food.
In the evening I eat boiled cabbage with Portuguese
smoked sausages, to give the soup zing.
So, when not swatting flies, I’m respectful of life.

Unwanted affection

I’m writing a play about an older man who was helpful
to a woman crying in the street and he thought that
was the end of the incident.
At night a knock on his door, the woman wanted
to thank him and before he could turn around, she sat
on his sofa insisting on holding his hands and him
felt her hand was like a wet haddock.
He knew she mentally disturbs but didn’t like to say so
the worst thing was he was watching his favourite show.
He feigned tiredness got up to open the door,
she offered to stay he froze by the horror of the thought.
She left after kissing him on the cheek.
He rang the porter and told him never let in this ****** woman.