i

this morning they were here again
mouths open
arguing and fussing
making a kerfuffle

more and more
noses in the air
waiter! the
no-one cares shuffle..

ii

sea-gulls are sometimes referred to
as flying rats-
disingenuous to both species..

they do not practise genocide or if
they spread disease
then so do we..

this morning a crane was
making a crane
but what made that crane?

the old chicken or egg
question: pain made
pain-but..

this morning i awoke to
the cry of a gull
(not the fool)
but light of the sea-

glowing and hungry!-
they sit outside my
window and i feed them
some cat food..

they eat and laugh
(a little lewd)
but that is ok
how god made them..

this morning a kestrel sat
in the agave
had nt seen this chap for
a long time

then, a little black cap
perched amid the cacti
gave me the eye
and flew away

i was the voodoo chile
at breakfast
toast and an achingly
beautiful sky..

we don´t want illness
we want a deal-
we don´t want space travel
we want a livable planet

we don´t want tents
we want affordable housing
we don´t want there-
we want here and now-

we don´t want this nightmare!
holy cow!
we don´t want war
if we were treated fair-

the eternal cry!
me, myself and i
we don t want to be rich
we don´t want to be poor

kind of middling would be nice
it might mean sharing
somethings a given-
food and shelter-

human rights a charter that
actually meant something
o we are clever
all we need is willing..

leaders of imagination
if we want this so called civilization
to last
or just go live on mars..

i think it is about equals
compromise-a cave over
looking the mojave
peaceful location..nice..

i

on christmas day it was
a tradition in our family
for my father to give us
each a box of chocolates..

in between the layers
he d secretly secreted
money (though seemi-
ngly still sealed..)

how he did this
was mystery ?
a ten shilling note!
and strawberry delight..

alright..

ii

in the christmas pudding
was a silver sixpence
or two..
(hey we were rich)

watch your teeth children
mother would admonish
woo!
i got one..!

a bag of chips
from the chip shop
cost sixpence..
walking home

the stars were free..

that is the end of this reading
if you would like your copy signed?
remember, a closed chip chop
is only in the mind-

hey-"to monkey,
if you want to be
no-one is stopping you-
regards-lily..