Michael John

Michael John Jun 2024

i owned a saxaphone-
nearly ended in a ruptured
spleen-etc
(too painful to remember)

i could n´t play that
either (but i imagine so many
musicians
looking past their screen

nodding in a ruefull manner..
gangsters and breaker yard
a police informer..
just for decoration..

Michael John Jun 2024

with a banjo

i

with a banjo
one can go
through all emotion
deep dark ocean
blue heights-
happy bird in
flight!

not that i did
i resented it-
three weeks with
back bent
blistered hand
chips and the skegness sun
no-fun..

ii

then why buy it..?
lily turns a page-
what is she reading?
ah,kerouac´s on the road..

spontaneous and hopeful
chock full of possibility
spiritual so-!
not unlike the banjo

but alas not for me
ended in a dusty window
for some paltry sum
and a full belly..

Michael John Jun 2024

Untitled

i

is it easier to hate
than love she enquires
with a sultry tongue out..

sounds like is it easier to
hate-then love
with a very thin piece

of paper attatched to her
licking apparatuce..
something about a lettuce?

no..is it easier to love
than hate..?no,is it
easier to hate than love..

ii

i once had a banjo
i worked three weeks
weeding a field..

i digress..love and hate, lily?
a hoary old chessnut..
she pops her tongue back

in..can,indeed there be one
with-out the other?
do you hate me sometimes?

indubitably..it soon
dissipates like mists
over the seas..

it´s brievity quite
and quietly
hope you don´t notice..
sometimes,i hate you..

iii

do you think poe
feels the same
i don´t know if

they are capable of
such complexities
that is rather patronising

what about your banjo
i put it in a pawn shop
when i was hungry o..

Michael John Jun 2024

i

i

lily says i don´t like
you because-
you re cheap
and greedy
ugly lazy and
duplicitous-

(i am only human after all-)

deceitful
hurtful
hypocritical-

(she can´t find her grass)

a pointless waste of space
a disgrace
an abomination
and just no fun..

i hate your shoes
and the way you stand
helpless
your pathetic pauses-

(...)

the way you look and breath
i curse your birth
yon dearth!
your shirt..?

(i got this at the boot sale
for a pound)

i loathe your very existance-
ah! here it is!
now, where are the papers..?

ii

i like you because.
(not sure really)
but i love you..

and that is far
far
worse..

Michael John Jun 2024

Untitled

i)

if we don´t dream
we go mad
quite literally
lily-man can not

take too much reality
it makes us sad..
so we pick our poison
(or it picks us)

and the next thing we know
we don´t care-all bad..
it is a nightmare-!
o..

ii

but children still see
a future!
don´t you worry..
what is reality?

they want to be
astronauts
(and what-not)
free as stars..

iii

or a poet
my father was a poet
in the oral tradition-

like the story-teller
spontaneous and funny
i was his translator

what does it mean?
i learned quickly..
to think in another

dimention..
people said, you are a
poet ..

Michael John May 2024

i

i

a first line-
evasive as time sometime
or illusive-could be either
or both-that is the nature
of the word-could be anything
regarding time gets us no-where or
anywhere-tricky blighter..

ii

i had a badge or pin
as our american cousins
say-it read today i am 5
well,today i am 64 and none
the wiser..

iii

i did n´t have all my
teeth..
and we had jelly and i-
ce-cream-we played pass
the parcel and musical chairs
and in the garden swore eternal
love and friendship..

Michael John May 2024

i

i

the last bugle-
be mean
be cruel
(i will remain true

to the jungle..)
and fade to white..
-i will be happy
with-out you..

o lie!
(o self-deception..)
o lack a day!
(for we must pay..)

ii

i curse the day we met!?
i was just pht-
a vortex of purple
turmoil

with a severed head
looking down at me
(i thought be cool..)
said er, you have fire..?

i thought of a legend
of medusa
there was sea and
a star

that was black-
and then i was in
a bath
we laughed

in the beginning
and then i was disscussing
morality and politcs
with a cat-poe-ah yes..

i recall it well..