The safest place that one can be
is
where sharks can't see me,

mind you,
there's not much to do
and you don't get much fun
unless you count
counting the pebbles
and
and
no! that's it
counting pebbles
waiting for the inevitable

the tide will come in
the sharks will grin
and we'll all be on the menu.

He
tramps off into the distance
waiting for a miracle
conversing with the Oracle
his hair is getting long.

Babylon not gone
it
comes on
in the second act.

They try to tell the truth here
give or take a year
drop another tear
it doesn't matter.

We are complicit
we can't acknowledge it
but we're guilty all the same.

tired and I'm trying to tell you
that this
will never be behind you
you will always look out on
the things that you never did,

More **** on Facebook
don't believe me
take a look.

this happened
this would
do you think
that this could?

***
fake news
but you choose
to reel it in.

I'm right
they're right
we're all right
we might be.

makes me think
there's more truth in the drink
and I will drink to that.

They're putting out the lights
doing away with Human Rights
cockin' a deaf 'un
to the sound of the gun
and
turning a blind eye
to the bombs from the sky.

Wasn't it always so
that the men with the money
sit and watch it grow,
safe in the knowledge
that power and privilege
are protecting them.

Thinking, I fell off the edge of the lantern
wondering
did I even put my pants on

waking
is getting to be
a bit of a hindrance
and too much for me.

But
I do it on a daily basis
sometimes
more than once.

It's 6am on a Saturday
Billy Joel in my ears
telling me all about the
piano man
but I've already
known him for years.

Bags under your eyes?
if they're Gucci,
it's okay

You can put those wrinkles in them.

Rained off
Rained on
has the summer upped sticks and gone

well
that's not ******' cricket
isit?

However much time there is
it's never enough.

Swinging myself out of bed
thinking I'm Tarzan
but looking like Cheeta.

needs a shave, will travel.
not like
Will Shakespeare,

extraneous drivel?
but
it gets me through
and
makes me stronger
The doctor said,
I'll live much longer
if
I gave up smoking.

Shredded Wheat tastes like strawberries and cream
or they do in my dream,

anyhow
time to grow up now
become
Action Man
maybe
Superman
make that plan
and move on.

The twentieth century
was it good for you?
it wasn't for me.

I am to blame
I came
I saw
laid down on the floor
and
let it trample all over me.

no more for now.

Something in her voice
ethereal
more unreal than real,
it
makes me feel
kinda dizzy.

That seagull gave me the shock of my life
screaming as it flew past me,
I thought it was the wife.

That's a joke, dear,
gotta put that in
before
She reaches for the rolling pin.

England expects
so it did
and
it won,
the final
is going to be fun.

Politics on BBC Radio 4
what a bore
which is not a
wild pig
in case you were
wondering.

Although sleeping fitfully
I woke
lifted up my head twice,
and now I feel fit
finally.

jeez
I might be cracking up
feeling like that old teacup,
chipped,

one day
we'll all be
chipped
stripped
dipped in dye
and given
new clothes to wear.

The Emperor has already got his.

And you wait for another door to open,
to close
but that's the way you chose it.

too many doors,
too many floors
you've slept on
but
you kept on
looking.

It's a ******' carousel
step off at heaven
or
jump into hell,

you've been there
so have I
and we wonder on why
as
they wander on by
uncaring.

Not sharing because I want to
but because I have to.

It'll be another footnote for scholars to muse upon,
the world has gone mad but in the limitlessness of the universe no one notices.

We're dancing around a celestial maypole and the fire consumes us, we still howl at the moon but nothing can save us.

The clerics being clerical
hysterically laughing
the fisherman too
putting the gaff in
hauling the sinners in
and
doing it all again,

The just cause
is just because.

No judgements from parliaments that ought to be hung
no choirs to sing songs that should have been sung
and no bells to ring in the changes.

Farther than further
or.
further than farther?
but it doesn't matter
as long as you know
what you've seen.

There have been times
according to the clocks
and there will be more,

make this your mantra.

06:30

He flings off the bedsheet
dawn waits in the wings
off in the distance
an early bird sings.

It's always sweet.

You all know how it feels

when you're outside and you just want to swipe left and change the scenery.

Been in the there and then in and out of the Devil's den and I'm not the only one,

you'll be told of the monsters that hide under the bed but they're only ***** cats compared to the ones that run free in your head,

take my lead and pay no heed to them because in the there and then when in the Devil's den they'll quieten down.

I'm still swiping
and it's still not working
but to be fair
neither am I.

The evening glows with the late day light, the sun though nearly out of sight is most certainly not out of mind, its written kindly on this parchment skin and this ancient frame, but it has bleached my hair the colour of whalebone white so much so that I might have to dye it.

There's still a lot to do and hopefully time to do it in unless time does me in first.

Tomorrow
I'll do something different
be more confident
act with due diligence
or write using a Biro.

The Roman bridge.

Pollo
or Apollo
in Spain
you take your chances,

my butterflied chicken
looked more like the side of
a Triceratops
absolutely Mammoth in its majesty

I bowed my head and said Grace.

Breakfast
bohemian
eggs, cheese and salad
ballet on a plate.

Water from the wishing well
I made a wish
but I won't tell.

And the sun winds its warmth about my body.

cartwheels across the floor
She asks,
whatya doing those for
and I reply
why not.

Friday
so commonplace and with a common face too.

I'm homing in and the target is you
eyes locked
and then what do I do?
Father really should have given me
that talk.

Changed out of my dungarees
cleaned the spuds from my ears
and now wearing clean duds
I feel
like a new man

now
don't go getting ideas.

I do
I did
I'm done
and wasn't it fun?

That was quick
I feel a joke coming on
but I've heard it before.

The door opens on a new day
something for everyone
and everything to play for.

Coffee's hot in the ***
soon to be poured
in with the milk and it
feels like I've scored
one nil to me

She says,
pipe down
I'm trying to sleep
and so down I go

gotta keep her happy.

We make things up to suit our own circumstances.
Slightly weird but no more strange than believing all that we're told.

Fortunately for me I mostly believe in what I can see except of course when I'm dreaming and then I take things with a pinch of low sodium salt.

There is definitely a fault line that runs through the timeline, you can't tell me that this disaster we are in was planned by the hand of the almighty, unless we're in a movie and I'm dreaming again.

Anyway I see signs, portents,
monuments to my ancestors all around me,
ghosts of old ghosts that surround me,
bound by those chains which were forged by the pains they endured
but I am assured that they will bring no harm to me,

no harmony either.

No bats in this belfry
and there's not likely to be.

Aren't there enough fruitcakes about.without trying to make fountains out of moleskins?

The idiom or idiot will get you every time.

Waiting for the Sun
and I do believe it's on the way
arriving sometime today
but it's still 22 degrees so I'm not
likely to freeze.

Everything takes time
coffee breaks take longer
when you're not as agile as
you used to be.

She tells me
to pull myself together!

as if
I was falling apart.

She's probably right
and I might be.

We've all been down that road and through the mill,
turned upside down when your smile became a frown and hoping that the wind wouldn't change.
because
Mother said
that your face would be stuck like that forever if the wind did change,
which is strange but not necessarily untrue.

Many years from now
when I get old and
they put me out to grass
I will not pass a remark
I'll go quietly
but I'll also go annoyingly slowly
as one befitting his age.

As for the scars
you only see the ones on the outside
and that's only if you bother to look
and we're all scarred anyway from day one
so
I'm no different but different,

like you
I'll also come to the end
but while I can
I'll still pretend
it's just another nightmare.

Sunrise at 07:10
beautiful.
if I could go back to sleep
I'd wake up and watch it again.

No owl yet.

The bees are at it already
working steadfastly
they have no idea
that I'm having honey on my toast
and a cup of tea.

Yesterday evening
I watched the fire helicopters flying overhead
fires somewhere to the west
or so the builder said.

Wood still needs cutting but it's not going anywhere and so it can wait

She's at the gate
axe in hand

I suddenly wonder if the wedding band that I wear
plays music,

The day's already filling up with day
what more can I say
except
hasta luego.

She says
that She's going to take me out
and
not with a single shot to the head.

That's a relief.

It takes me some time to get myself going in the morning, things are not what they used to be,
I probably need to be taken in and given a sixty-nine year servicing.

Wild isn't it?
one day you're crawling around as a child and in the blink of a cataract eye you're wondering why you still crawl around like a child even though years have gone by.

Quiet out there
the air is heavy
daybreak is a weight waiting to drop.

Hot too
and my beach body is not even ready.

No!
it's not woe is me
I'm happy and not because I kissed Snow White although I might at some point

at the point of my gun snarls Grumpy,

ah!  
he's always miserable.

Wednesday which it would be
sees me a day older.

If you were here you'd be there by now and by there I mean Noon, but you'll get there soon enough.

Already 24 degrees and rising to 33 if you believe the forecasters, those weather masters who as we all know are never wrong,

you're playing the same old song,
She says,
but these days old songs are all that
I know.

Siesta
when you're allowed to go crazy
when She let's me be lazy
for a couple of hours.

I'll take a nap,
first though
a slab of Ice Cream
the killer vanilla one
which She makes so well.

There's still lots of wood to chop,
She says
chop-chop it'll not cut itself.

The axe feels light in my hand
that's because it's a saw
which is what I'll use for
the wood,
got it?
good.

Looking like Popeye
minus the pipe
might even have some spinach
which'll make a change from cabbage.

Breaking the new day in
is like breaking new shoes in
but I don't know why.

If you listen closely
you can hear the spiders marching on their webs that glisten in the early morning light.

The bees are already at the plate drinking in the nectar from the waking blooms.

Can't see any lizards yet but they're probably still lounging about somewhere out of sight.

Plenty of wood around and not a sound from the woodpeckers!

The owl is absent
maybe it doesn't know
that I'm here,
In time it will.

And the Robin redbreast
asleep in its nest
don't be fooled
it's an accomplished assassin,

in the grass
the crickets are wary.

These things are shared with me
courtesy of the breaking day
but I break away to brew some tea
and have an orange

Leonard tells me that it comes all the way from China or perhaps he meant the tea.

sweet for sure
the well water is pure
tastes like honey on my tongue.

She says,
you're having too much fun,
She's always right.

The evening speeds in like a ghost
on Methadrine
everything's
on something or other.

It gets darker and darker until the darkness is done and then the Sun, will, after having a bottle or two because everything's on something or other, break through to spread its joy because everyone who's anyone wants some of that.

Winter's on ice
Summer is suspiciously nice
Autumn will fall
that spring in your step
says it all.

There is bounty here and not the coconut covered in chocolate one nor the wanted dead or alive one, this bounty is what nature gives to those that live with and respect nature

and nature's bounty is like finding five pound notes growing on trees which pleases everyone's eye.

When the morning sun lights up the vineyard it'd be very hard to find a richer place,
even the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street pulls a face when faced with that truth.

Now
I could bang on about it all but She's just called (no not to say  'I love you' ) but to say, time for tea sweetie.

And it's very hot
the weather not the tea.

Can't see what they're singing
but I hear them
birds bringing in the daylight
and here am I
winging it
as if daylight's my birthright.

So what if I'm not as bright as a button
or as sharp as I could be
nothing can touch me.

She
sleeps on
even though the night has been and gone
I leave her to dream

I may be dreaming too
this whole episode being watched on pay per view in some distant galaxy
but it doesn't worry me
and if it's true
it shouldn't worry you
we're all stars that shine.

And if I am dreaming
I'm putting a triple cream in my coffee
which is equal to
about a quarter of a calorie.

I wonder if silence is the question?

Maside in the morning
woke at three
can't stop yawning

The day ahead looks behind
sees me struggling
but the day is kind
and
lends a helping hand.

Climbing up the stairs now
which is better than climbing up the walls

Peace reigns
rain also rains
it always rains
up North.

Sunday and I shall pray
not much going on today.

She,
In a bikini
( swimsuit not Atoll )
me
on a sunbed
face red
blushes easily
but
She's teasing me
constantly

Sunday and I shall pray.

Always that time of the day
when it's that time of the day

wash your face
brush your teeth
put them toys away

Parents always have the last say
when you're ten.

The way goes on
how long depends

Everything depends on the..
...do I mean the ends?

Here and now
is
like there and then
but when
were we ever like that?

Waiting for sundown
hoping for sunrise
the mirror
watching my eyes
taking it in.

I’d open the door
but I’ve been here before
and so have you

we don’t remember
and
maybe that has a ring to it.

Skin’s peeling
feeling
like I’m melting,

Up North
they’d say
the weather’s belting

I’d give ‘em a smack
but they lack
understanding

I’m standing under the shower
cold for the old and at last
it’s on tap.

Long live the summer
iced tea and a ***
and for some

that’d be the some in Spain
gazpacho.

Things are as you find them and personally I don’t mind them,
who said not grammatically correct?

But
because it’s a great word.

Yes siree
It’s me and not Siri
are you happy now
will you ever be?

She tells me to belt up and button it,
fukin marvellous, a bit
of English
and She thinks that She’s British

but I’m starting to believe
that
She is.

I take a moment for inventory
and
if everything’s still there
I
make a *** of tea.

I’m glad that it’s only me
that drops off
the rest of me stays put
but
I still have to check

one cannot be careful enough

I may huff and puff
but this house
is solid.

Ripping through the ties that blind me
freeing all the light inside me
the morning sun sits down beside me
and all looks beautiful.

Mindful that I'm moving forward
balanced on the wings of progress
nothing seems as untowards
as the evening coming closer.

When it all caved in
and saved him
meaning me,
I could see that
I
led a charmed life.

and when the world ran out of hope
I learned to love myself and cope

I am not here because I prayed
I am here because I stayed
and
I'll see it through until the end.

What on Earth.. She said,

Nearly nine years ago
when we said
I do
who knew
that nine years could go
so fast?

Too fast
sometimes speeding
but always needing her
to steady me.

We go on
and
She goes on
the warpath
occasionally.

When you know that you're right
set the country alight
don't fukin wait
until bonfire night.

we are at the point
where the pointer scrolls off the screen.

Yeah
Yeah
and where ya at?

we all got that story to tell
the heaven that we found
in the hell that we were
but
where ya at now?

suit and tie
thinking that you'll never die
because you're too good looking
well
that's ******' priceless
hold
that thought,

I hold on to the ripcord
and am aware
that the sword of Damocles
will do what it wants to

Geronimo
ha
that's one way to go
not for me though.
I'll go out with a bang

hey
keep your ***** minds in tow
they hang you for that
don't ya know.

The narrative was constructed and in case you don't realise, it is us that's being ****** with,

war again, old men fighting lost causes, reliving past glories and already making up the stories that the public wants to hear,
if I had any back teeth, I'd be fed up to them, so I'll just be sick to my stomach with the lot of them.

What we need is a monstrous platten to flatten the lot of them and blotting paper to blot up the rest of them.

I think she could have told ya
when the night cried on your shoulder
and the weight of the world brought you down to your knees, but she's just a scene in a pipe dream or a ******* that frequents you now and again.

whispers from the wardrobe
strobe lights in your hair
matchstalk men and Lowry
somewhere over there
and
you're still asleep as cowboys weep
at barbed wire fences on the range.

Strange and stranger still are those things you do against your will and you wonder who is pulling the strings.