THE COLOURS WERE GRAINY BROWN AS YOU WENT DOWN,
THERE WERE DARK MARKS ON THE BACK LIKE A HALFWAY FROWN,
THE HILLS UNDULATED WITH BEACONS FOR ALL TO SEE,
A REMINDER AND KEYNOTE SHOWING WHERE YOU WANTED TO BE;
PERHAPS THERE HAD BEEN NO RAIN FOR A LONG TIME,
BUT WHEN IT CAME, WAS LIKE A LONG LOST FRIEND OF MINE,
IN TORRENTS, WAITING FOR SO EVER IT COULD NEVER HAVE BEEN
LIKE THIS BUT WHOSE TO SAY WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU MISS;
YOU DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ENOUGH TO SATISFY YOUR THIRST,
AND WHEN DO YOU LAUGH - MAYBE ONLY WHEN IT HURTS,
ONLY WHEN IT'S NOT OVER, YOU RETURN TO THE BEGINNING,
IT'S ONLY REALLY GOOD, HELD IN LIMBO, WHEN YOU'RE NOT WINNING;
YOU WERE TOLD TO GO FOR IT - ACHIEVE A ZENITH BY ALL MEANS,
BUT WHEN YOU WERE DRY, YOU REALIZED IT WAS A FIGMENT OF YOUR DREAMS.

I CAN SEE THINGS WHICH YOU COULD NEVER SEE,
IT MUST BE A GIFT TO UNRAVEL A MYSTERY,
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING, REPORT BACK TO MYSELF,
IF I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, THERE'S A BOOK ON THE SHELF;
I HAVE SECRET MEETINGS WITH MY ALTER - EGO -
CHASTISED, REBUKED, ADMONISHED, THE LAST TIME I LOOKED
AT A CATALOGUE OF MISTAKES, SOME REAL, SOME FAKES,
I HAVE EXPERIENCE, LEAN BACK WITH HANDS BEHIND MY HEAD,
ASK YOURSELF:  WHAT HAVE I DONE, AM I GOOD IN BED?
NOW, SPIES HAVE NO TIME FOR ANYTHING, DO AS THEY'RE TOLD,
NO KNICK-KNACKS - I KNEW ONE WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD,
BY THE TIME HE RETURNED - HIS HOUSE HAD BEEN SOLD;
I'LL GIVE YOU INFORMATION, TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR,
WHEN YOU REALLY NEED ME - I'LL ALWAYS BE NEAR.

WE WERE HEADING TOWARDS BEIJING AS I SIPPED MY DRINK,
I KNEW THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG FASTER THAN YOU THINK,
A YOUNG IRANIAN WAS STANDING UP BRANDISHING A KNIFE,
WHEN THAT HAPPENS - YOU IMMEDIATELY FEAR FOR YOUR LIFE;
ALSO AN OLDER MIDDLE EASTERN MAN WAS UP IN THE FRONT OF THE PLANE,
WE WERE CIMBING - I WONDERED IF I'D SEE MY FRIENDS AGAIN,
THE AIR SEEMED THIN BUT NO MASKS DROPPED FROM THE CEILING,
PEOPLE STRUGGLING FOR BREATH - EVEN THE MIDDLE EASTERN MAN WAS KNEELING,
THR PLANE SEEMED TO TURN AND STARTED TO DROP IN HEIGHT,
SO LOW OVER THE MAINLAND - YOU COULD SEE LIGHT,
THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER TURN AND WE BEGAN TO CLIMB,
SUDDENLY THE CO-PILOT APPEARED, SHOUTING: 'THERE'S
BEEN A CRIME,'
INTO HIS MOBILE PHONE BUT WOULD ANYONE HEAR HIM
SO FAR AWAY?
THOSE WHO COULD STILL BREATHE BEGAN TO PRAY.

I MET LEONARDO - 'SO, TERRY, YOU'RE NEARLY A WRITER,
I WAS AN INVENTOR, SCULPTER, ARTIST, MICHAELANGELO FIGHTER,
I THINK HE WON BUT HE DIDN'T PAINT THE LAST SUPPER
AND THE MONA LISA - I LEFT SOMETHING UNDERNEATH.'
'I BOW TO YOUR BRILLIANCE LEO, WERE YOU REALLY THE HEAD
OF THE MASONS AND THE ILLUMINATI? DID YOU HAVE BOYS IN YOUR BED?'
'NONE OF YOUR **** BUSINESS - YOU JUST STICK TO YOUR
HOMESPUN PHILOSOPHY AND TRY NOT TO BE SUCH A BORE,
YOU WANT SOME ADVICE? I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU WHETHER YOU
LIKE IT OR NOT: YOU'LL BE AMAZED AT THE THINGS YOU CAN'T DO,
YOU CAN'T ESCAPE THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD YOU POOR SOD,
YOU CAN'T EVEN WRITE, DON'T WORRY - I'LL GIVE YOU THE NOD,
I'M WATCHING, BEARD AN' ALL, I KNOW THAT YOU'LL MISS ME,
JUST REMEMBER THAT YOU WERE IN THE COMPANY OF LEONARDO DA VINCI.'

THERE ARE THINGS TO DO - LIKE GOING TO CAIRO,
SEEING THE STATUE OF JESUS IN RIO,
HE SAID TO ME: 'WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?
YOU HAD TO COME BEFORE YOU BECAME A CENTURION.'
THEN THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE TO SEE - OR MAYBE NOT,
IT'S EASY TO PRETEND ABOUT THOSE CONVENIENTLY FORGOT,
YOU CAN NOT FORGET - SOME THINGS STAY WITH YOU FOREVER,
IF YOU SAID THAT I WILL DENY YOU THREE TIMES - I WOULD SAY NEVER;
THEN I SAID THAT I WOULD PRAY FOR MY SOUL TO BE WHOLE,
THERE HAD TO BE COMPLETION - PART OF THE DEAL,
NO ONE WOULD KNOW JUST HOW I MIGHT FEEL,
MY OLD LIFE WOULD NEVER GO AWAY, SO THEY SAY
THAT IF YOU LIVE TO ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD - YOU GET A FREE PARDON - STRANGELY FORGIVEN FOR EVERYTHING YOU
HAD DONE.

SOME PEOPLE MAY SAY: ' I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS
TO ME,' BUT IRONICALLY - YOU MAY HAVE NO CHOICE,
I'VE JUST READ A MIND - BLOWING TREATISE -
THERE MAY BE NO ESCAPE - OUR BRAINS COULD BE
DOWNLOADED ON TO THE INTERNET AND WE WILL
CRUISE AROUND CYBERSPACE FOR ETERNITY - NEWS TO ME!!
MAYBE EVEN TRANSPOSED INTO NEW BODIES - WHEW!
HUMANS DUMPED? POST - HUMANS TRAVELLING -
WHAT IS THIS THAT SEEMS TO BE UNRAVELLING?
WHAT HAVE WE DONE? WHAT'S BEEN UNLEASHED?
I DON'T KNOW BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE A 'DUMPED' HUMAN,
SO MAYBE I'LL JOIN THE POST - NOT EVEN A GHOST,
'STAR WARS THE FORCE,' LOOKS TAME - IT'S NO LONGER A GAME,
IT LOOKS LIKE THAT WE'VE ARRIVED BEFORE WE EVEN CAME.

I OWE YOU AFTER ALL THAT'S BEEN SAID,
LIKE A LIBRARY BOOK - IT'S TAKEN AS READ,
NOW IN RETURN YOU HAVE TO PLEDGE YOUR SOUL,
REPLENISH, SET ALIGHT IN ORDER TO BE WHOLE;
SOME DEBTS CAN NEVER BE REPAID ALBEIT MAYBE
IF IT'S TAKEN IN KIND - YOU WONDER WHAT THAT IS?
I''LL TELL YOU: ONE DAY THE DEVIL ARRIVED AFTER
SOMEONE SAID - ' I'LL SELL MY SOUL FOR TUPPENCE,'
IT WAS AN EASY EXCHANGE - WITHIN YOUR RANGE,
DON'T THINK IT'S IMPOSSIBLE JUST BECAUSE IT'S STRANGE,
WHAT DID HE DO WITH YOUR PRIZE POSSESSION, PRAY?
YOU WERE CAST LIKE A FISH TO WHAT YOU FEARED MOST;
HOWEVER, HE TOO WAS DISCHARGED LIKE UNNECESSARY,
NO LONGER NEEDED, MY PET - NOW I'M IN YOUR DEBT.

THE SHADOW ON MY TEA CUP WAS STILL THE SAME,
YOUR BEAUTIFUL FACE HAD NOT CHANGED SINCE YOU CAME,
THE AFTERNOON SUN BISECTED THE CURTAINS,
FILTERED BREEZE HUNG AND THE TIME HAD MADE NO GAINS;
BUT MY MIND IS STILL THINKING HOW NICE IT WAS,
YOUR SMILE, YOUR MYSTIQUE AND I LOVED YOU BECAUSE,
THE GARDEN DOORS DID NOT MOVE TO HALT THE VIEW,
A RED BUTTERFLY HUNG AS THOUGH BORN ANEW,
I WONDERED IF I COULD REACH OUT, TOUCH YOUR HAND,
BUT ALL MY LIMBS WERE MOTIONLESS LIKE QUICKSAND,
HOLDIG ME, SCOLDING ME FOR DISTURBING THE STILL,
WOULD THIS EVER END OR JUST CONTINUE TILL,
THERE WAS NO EMOTION, TEARS OR CONSTANT PAIN,
THE SECOND-HAND ON THE CLOCK STARTED MOVING AGAIN.

THERE WAS A PARTY FOR THE RICH -
YOU REMEMBER LEWIS AND NICOLE - F1 HYPERBOLE,
THE RACE WAS OVER - ONLY ONE WINNER,
YOU WERE LUCKY IF YOU WERE INVITED TO DINNER;
YOU WERE LUCKY IF YOUR FERRARI WAS PARKED
IN THE DRIVE, LUCKY TO LIVE AT NUMBER FIVE HUNDRED;
BERNIE TRIED THE POOL, WATER AND QUICK GAME,
SO OLD - HE'LL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN,
JENSON BECAME JASON WHO WAS NOT AMUSED,
WORRIED, LIKE SOMEONE THAT HE MIGHT BE EXCUSED,
ALONSO WAS ONLY' SO SO' AND *****
JUSY WANTED TO GO, VETTEL COULD ONLY SAY; ' VOT THE HELL,' AND GLOCK WASN'T FEELING WELL,
YOU WERE LUCKY IF ANYONE ANSWERED THE BELL.

THERE IS ONLY ONE NEW YEAR ALTHOUGH OTHERS MAY DISAGREE,
TIME WAITS FOR NO MAN, ONE CALENDER, NO MYSTREY,
YOU CAN HAVE YOUR MAGIC IF YOU WISH, YOUR WAY, YOUR CULTURE,
ONLY GOD INVENTED THE SUN, MOON AND THE STARS TO BE SURE
THAT EVERY THING WAS IN ORDER, SPACED OUT AS IT WERE;
'THE DAYS ARE GETTING LONGER MY DEAR,' SOMEBODY ONCE SAID,
'THE EARTH IS TILTING ON IT'S AXIS,' BUT NOT TAKEN AS READ,
THERE IS RESOLUTION - EVERYTHING IS CLEAR ABOUT EACH NEW YEAR,
NO ONE CAN CHANGE IT ALTHOUGH YOU MAY WISH TO PUT YOUR CLOCK BACK OR FORWARD, IF YOUR RESTLESS - FEELING BORED;
HOW CAN YOU HAVE NO SEASONS - THERE MUST BE REASONS
IF YOU'RE NEAR THE EQUATOR - IT'S PART OF GOD'S LAW;
WHEN DECEMBER IS GONE, WE SHOULD DO WELL TO REMEMBER,
A GREATER POWER THAN US WILL CONTROL TIME FOREVER.