There's a sin tax?
oh
jumping Jehoshaphat
that could bankrupt me.

wait
wait
it's not a sin tax

it's syntax

jeezuus
must get the wax out of my ears.

ah
the river ran incessantly
and it became a
melody
that runs through me
constantly

of course, its course has changed
and I have also changed,
the passing of years and erosion
do that.

Dogs with fleas
cats to please
tortoises to talk to

it's a friggin' menagerie
at number twenty three
but worth it to go
if only to know
what she's cooking
for dinner

Jasmine tea
is not for me
I have coffee in the ***

I'm told that it's not good for me
well
neither is a cup of Jasmine tea
at twenty five past flamin' three
and in the morning for gawd's sake.

I used to sleep just like a baby
but that was when I was a baby
but I grew into something cranky
I think that something's old.

Disappointment again,
it's only Wednesday
oh, the pain,

a good day is
when you open your eyes,
and still get surprised
at the wonder of it all.

Travel for centuries in all those yesterdays and arrive at the place we were born.

When my mind plays tricks on me
I laugh to fool it into thinking that
I am still sinking
and it works.

Friends,
well
some have gone into the great beyond my understanding
and I am still sinking laughing at the jokes life plays on us.

It could be that we are only the projections of tormented single cells awaiting their time, our time may not come for centuries, but the place we were born will be there.

I was thinking about her thong..oops her song, although, no,
better not.

see
I can make the right decisions
you have no need to make a thong and dance about it.

Grammarly chimes in and pipes up with a
Get out of here.

I thought it was Wednesday
but got a Tuesday,
some things never change.

I was beautiful once
and then
they changed the parameters

Fukin *******.

Body language
is as much use as a
foreign language
if you can't understand it.

I look and see and fail to be
impressed,
too much showing for the knowing
amongst us.

But I bought glasses
just in case
they speak in something that
passes
for English.

Monday,
but that's okay
it's usually Monday
on this day.

Friday's on the way
but it's always slow
and takes its time
getting here.

the days in between are on
liquid largactil
slurring their minutes into those
yawned out hours.

but it's all good,
I'm good too
but you knew that.

I wonder
as I often do
would I ever have
slept with you
or would you
have
kept me awake?

I didn't know until it was too late
until the two-party became a one-party state
#and then we were tagged.

*** this and *** that meant less than nothing
when the sirens blocked out everything.

If we escape this nightmare
I wonder what will be
or will be out there
possibly nothing
and half the population
are used to that

*** this
I'm going to bed.

A stand-in stood in for him
in the hallway where the light was dim
and his name was Frank,

it would have been nice
if his name had been Jim,
but
you can't win 'em all.

If they tell me it's Saturday night,
I might believe them,
but if them are the government men
they can kiss my ****.

She tells me
don't cuss
don't fuss
you're in for a surprise

and the rest,
is her story to tell,
well
what did you expect?

Some things intensify
sounds for one
that look that says come on
the rush of blood when
things go good,

ah
we become tuning forks
catching chords on our lips.

She says,
really?

ideally
She would have loved this
and given me a kiss
which would become
another chord
to learn.

There are no garages for when you have a breakdown, no managers to help you when the world caves in,

been there done that
help yourself
or be a ****,
oh
easy for me to say today

I came through the worst bits
picked myself up and gritted my teeth
licked my lips and said,
let's go again.

we're
fukin idiots
like toys r us
but no games
just aches and pains,

out of the spiral but had something viral
luckily
the doctors cured me.

here I be
twenty first century,
She says
give it a rest.

You look again
but you know it's him,
grim and sombre
like a grey September,

you only scratch at the surface
and the mirror seems to know
how deep is deep and just how far
that deep is still to go.

you look again,
and now he's gone
or was he ever there?

That crunch when you think that you've stood on a snail, but you know it's the snow and yet you still look for a snail,

The mailman comes when the mailman can and sometimes he comes in a little red van, slipping and sliding and riding the clutch, he's a good mailman, but as a driver he *****.

Snowploughs moving like slow cows and you're stuck behind one.

This is what will be,
Summer,
just a memory,

thermals you'll find are
not just things for eagles
to rise up on.

Enjoy what is left
and I don't mean that
krap newspaper.

Dreams are great but when you don't dream what does it mean?
who can decipher the nights when the lights go out and there is only darkness?

waking up after not dreaming is like digging yourself out of a hole in your head, you know it's your bed and you made it, but not one single dream so how would you grade it?

on a scale of one to when I'd give a night with no dreams a minus ten.

And if this is reality,
where is the  Butler
and what did he see?

The offended become more offended by those who would defend the offenders,
confused?

it's easy really
hear no
see no
speak no

and if that's the case,
the monkeys on your backs win.

grin and share it on social media.

There are more beggars than there are witches on broomsticks at Euston Station.

It's always been that way and I'm expecting ( no, not a baby ) it to remain the same,

Begging is a game for most and a necessity for the few who really do need assistance

The NAB or the National Assistance Board
got fed up with their **** and turfed them
off the books years ago
and now they go
to where the pickings are easier.

It's indicative of something lacking
both in the beggar and in the system
that forces people onto the streets and
into foodbanks

but what do I know?
*** all
shouts the claptrap in
the back row
and for once
the little ***** is right.

I'm going ice skating
when hell freezes over.

there's a breeze
but I thought
She
was blowing in my ear,
dreams
are bothersome sometimes.

I still woke
and not to boast
I'm very good at waking
done it all my life
and
I'd like you to know that
I fully intend to carry on.

Imagine being stuck with me
for all eternity,
She asks
when does hell freeze over?

Bedtime?
the dead time
sleep,
but the dreams wake you
and they shake your subconscious

if they don't
what are you?

I am veins
a heart,
a drumming
an ache
to take your mind off
what really hurts,

you'll deny me
but I am within
you
and when it's bedtime
it's my time.

Angels pester me
the devil confides in me
it's hard to make out
the truth,

but at my age
it's hard to make out
at all

Haven't seen the sundown
mayhap
there's
not enough sun
to go around

*** it
I'll sit a while longer
maybe
make the drinks a bit stronger
and then
I might see you.

I know that
you're there
in the side view
but you always knew
I was watching.

A dime to a dollar
there are not enough
cops left on the streets
to feel your collar,

you can do as you please.

999 is just a lottery
sleeping policemen
from here to
Tottenham.

lock your doors,
bolt the windows
pull down the blinds
draw the curtains
and
plan to move far away.

me,
trying to outlast the day
but if it has to be
it will have to be her way.

I'm getting used to Wednesday's
it's taken me some time,
it always does.

keep taking the blue ones
the red ones make you depressed
sound advice from Doctor Nice
I'm going to make coffee.

It comes together
like seams or whatever
and now
fixed up for the day
it will
and I know
be her way.

She was here
only yesterday
and the years
go by.

You can't believe it
so
how do you think I feel?

approaching three score and ten
and
I'm wondering
what happens then,

do dancing girls appear
do sirens sing in my ear?

I am
and still am
although
I have no idea why.

is there a plan B?
said She,
and she knew that
there had to be

and the idea came
I
could be different
and not done yet again

She's easy on the eyes
wise beyond her years
and She has a few of those
tucked under her bodice.

I never notice but I always
see
that She means more than
the world to me.

water in a bucket,
which
is not what I expected.

No Genie
to beam me
up
just water
to wash me
down.

what did yesterday teach us?

well
all those sunbeams that jesus wanted.
he saved
and whatever he saved them in
burst wide open,
and we got four years' worth of sun in a day
so
when 'jesus wants me for a sunbeam'
I might just be one.

are you singing now or did you never go
to Sunday School?

Sounds like
anything you'd like it to be,

I'd like it to be
She,
whispering
loud and clear
in my ear
xxxx

The kitchen was running a temperature
the chef was having a fit
I was in the bathroom
having a crafty
smoke,

what else?

naughty taught me
how not to get caught
but you
catch me every time.

What a day
work away
sweat away
get no pay,
oh
that's not true,
the compensation for my labour
does not make me blue.

We're back to Monday
again.

Have you ever felt that Monday's
just a game that God plays on us
a game like  'blind man's buff'?

or is it all a bluff
and we fall for the same old
game yet again?

Not morning yet or rather
it's not light enough to tell
if it's morning yet
and here I am
cup of coffee,
toast and jam
looking
for all the world like a King,

I haven't seen
that face in the mirror
the one with the razor
I have no wish to gaze upon that.

Think I have tinnitus
which is like arthritis
but more musical
or
it could be
the kettle whistlin'

*** me it's bedtime
hardly had time
for me time
and She says
it's your time
to shine.

Here in Santiago
where I often go
for
forgiveness
from his holiness
it's hot,

not that it worries me
and that's odd
because
most thing bother me
but not this.

There are heirlooms
that are used daily
and dusted weekly
because
the butler left
without notice
except
I noticed

and now
I have to
beg forgiveness again
for
cursing him.

Breakfast in bed
and She said,
something but I wasn't listening
I was putting the bacon in the
'George Foreman'
guaranteed to give it more of
a punch,
tomatoes in the pan
eggs in the poacher
not forgetting
two slices in the toaster,

She said,
is it nearly done?

I was chasing the eggs which
had started to run
the bacon had shrunk
the toast was black,
I'll be back
says I
closing the door and ready to fly
to the nearest go-to
for a take-away.

some stay
some go
and
some no longer want to know,

everything hurts when everything hurts.

It's Sunday,
shall we pray or
shall we go outside and play,
and by we I mean of course me
because no one wants to stay,
well
can't cry over split peas
spilt milk or cold teas so
I'll get on by getting along
by myself.

It's Sunday and at the risk of
repeating myself,
some stay
that
is what makes every day
bearable,

which is like terrible but
nicer.

John
though not the Baptist
still
lost his head over a girl.

If you view older people as
architectural salvage
they become
as they should do
more valuable.

I'm in the classic range
which is a mountainous region
in Spain
or so
I'm led to believe.

There's a lot of humour about
don't let them take it from you.

When you begin to realise that each day has an expiry date and that's the date that the day falls on, finite and it was a fine night but I was tired by seven, home by eight, crawled into bed at nine and here I am again starting another day for the 25 thousandth time give or take a day or two.

Once again I am not complaining
just thinking of all those hours I put in
to get here.

Saturday and I've seen a few of these
mostly upright without the knackered knees
but I count my blessings and it turns out
that my blessings equal the number of days
I've been around and I'm a bit rounder now
or so She says.

She says
that I'm doing well and to keep on going
but
She always says the nicest things.

I swear
that if we're ever going to get there
we're
going to have to change the ringmaster
rearrange the circus tent and be what we're
supposed to be.

Civilisation.

It'll go one of two ways
and if it goes your way
you're in,

and if it doesn't
you're still in
but it'll be in
something different.

Remember Yogi Bear?
does it
sometimes
feel like we're all there
in Jellystone
with Boo-Boo,
waiting for
walkers?

or is it just me being hungry?

Poor Pete
six feet under
it's a wonder
I'm not too.

Sometimes it's blank and
I sit and look but don't see
don't really hear much either,
and then I snap out of it
back into the thick of it.

Safety mechanisms
keep us safe,

yeah
a Kalashnikov's fine
but if you've got
a brain as scrambled as mine,
you'll forget to load it.

And there they go
consigned to the deep
at Scapa Flow.

if you can't beat them
sink them,

It's
all or nothing or it's
all and nothing to do
with me.

I've been out
but I'm lit now
joining the ranks
of
how it used to be.

A long day
measured out in
bread with no jam
is longer than I can take,

Listen up
anyone who's even trying
to get there
gets my support
and I don't mean,
my truss.

struggles are real,
feel them and weep,
keep your hatred off
this platform.

Here
in my mind's eye
the minutiae
of this existence.

I always hear them crying
think they're trying to get
back to the sea
but here's a new thing
just heard some cowbells ring,

Stratford is getting weirder.

It's urgent
that's what she said to me
I answered her and quite casually
in the 1950's way
what?

oh, what said she,
you
were supposed to be here,
at the stroke of three

well
something came up

oh
how unusual
she said.