Michael John: Poems

3d · 29

Michael John 3d

and as usual it is
the stranger
the same old fear
same old lies..

the same old whipping
dog
born of ignorance
misunderstanding and
the enemy with-in..

4d · 22

and what will occur..

Michael John 4d

and what will occur..

i

lily says it is amazing
what some do and say
and get away..

but if one says
the city is a sting or
footballers are over paid..

now i am silenced
they say why
i say because you

silenced me
so now i say money
(something we all understand..)

i don´t actually want any
but to comunicate i tried
a bag of potatoes

and mentioned the mirror
but democracy needs dissent
but not that..

the truth we can do without
some day i will have my day in court
lily looks out

ii

crow looks in..homeless..
under the nazis homelessness was
a crime-they took you away

to a concentration camp and
there you died..
lily says concentration camps

are making a big come back
in the not too distant future
we should care for the homeless?

but that takes money..who will pay..
easier to put them behind barbed wire
and what will occur..there..

5d · 43

and there my true love..

Michael John 5d

and there my true love..

i

lily says she is an artist
and as such to be cheated
art how important-

can´eat it..
unlike kicking a ball
around a field

or buying and selling
numbers that can´t exist..
armaments..

ii

crow, a swivelling-beady
black-eye-ball
calls through the letter-box

in retrospect, a poor career choice?
ah but to be called!
some burning vision-

some gentle chords-
there is a tavern in the town
and there my true love lays her down..

iii

lily says she is an artist
she lives on love and her wits
modern life gets on her ****

she imagines old albion
that would be something
peace and quiet and fauns

danced and sung..children
of the rain and sun
blissed out stone..

7d · 29

lily the free..

Michael John 7d

lily the free..

lily says i am an artist
crow through a letter box
says,what is that..

well,i can´t just do it
what ever
but need to eat..

and i can ´t be a waiter
or another cog in a factory
singular-me..

i can not pander to the fickle market
to be ignored and cheated
i am lily the free..

7d · 30

just one more poet

Michael John 7d

just one more poet

lily says, i am an artist
and as such-need to eat-
if my work is not finacially
viable, then i won´t..

i live in a garret
but still need rent-
at the illusive mercy
of the market..

i applied for a grant
(may have to vincent..)
or just be me
just one more poet..

7d · 25

my pretty flowers..

Michael John 7d

my pretty flowers..

lily says, i am an artist
and as such pain and suffer
my meat and potatoes-
the broken lover

the nothingness of being's
thin cover..
thus desolved now and
the future

a past too hurt to be
any other..i am them-her
but hope see my light
my pretty flowers..

Sep 25 · 40

a cat called empathy

Michael John Sep 25

a cat called empathy

a cat called empathy
is not our tommy
he likes to eat

and happily see me
hungry
but i am an artist..

Sep 24 · 33

3 haikus..

Michael John Sep 24

3 haikus..

i

a card trick
at two hearts wonder
a future of only queen and kings ..

ii

the little sparrow chirps
the silence is growing
the first star of night..

iii

the space between clicks
a pause so terrible
will be taking the world..

Sep 24 · 33

who can argue..

Michael John Sep 24

who can argue..

here, they are magnanimous
when it suits them-generous,
in ways hard to define..

but music is more than money
and here i agree..
love,music and wine..

Sep 23 · 47

something for tomorrow..

Michael John Sep 23

something for tomorrow..

here,they think i am
thrown-in with their holiday
or they sit around the corner
and wait,patiently..

this saves on travel and tickets etc..
so that is for today
but what of the future
something new tomorrow..?!

Sep 21 · 42

they see our country

Michael John Sep 21

they see our country

they see our country
as being safe or rather
a preference to war

hunger and a general
state of angst and fear..
so you pay your

life savings for a boat ride
or death on the tide..
i would nt..

would you..no..
we who struggle to look
over our stomachs..

Sep 21 · 48

they have figured it out

Michael John Sep 21

they have figured it out

what i would like to know lily says
(it seems the end
her vow of silence..)

is,there have always been boats
water
and refugees

criminals..
exploitive employers
prostitution

war
lying politicians
dreams..corruption..

so why now?
in the 60´s
and seventies

and eighties
and ninties
and the zeros-not..

over the last ten years
or so
they have figured it out..?

Sep 20 · 60

the romance of sail..

Michael John Sep 20

the romance of sail..

off the cuff lily muses
she enjoys spontaneous
in this life of repetition..

she like the expression
it is like us then
meaning less but kind of pithy

it is like we
we don´t exist
like death..

ii

bobby shaftoe was my first
song about a sailor that
went to sea

with silver buckles on
his knee..he would come home
and marry me..

bonny bobby shaftoe
in the key of c..
the romance of sail..

Sep 19 · 59

off the cuff..

Michael John Sep 19

off the cuff..

don´t give up
life is tough
a chipped cup
(love not enough..)

a cut lip..
simple stuff
and r.i.p..
the flames, woof..

so enjoy it..
happy and bluff
brave and honest
off the cuff..

Sep 16 · 71

don´t give up..

Michael John Sep 16

don´t give up..

there is no end
the only restriction
is number of fingers

and imagination
and time..
(key words like practise)

i would say to my pupils
here, you have a friend for life
what you give

you will recieve..
just like life..patience
don´t give up..

Sep 16 · 71

no end

Michael John Sep 16

no end

yes,says lily by saying nothing
we say it all a silence more elegant
than anything

can be said..silence is
worship blessed are the
animals..

the stars and grass..thought..
crow at the letter box his beady
black iris..

ii

lily i am learning the guitar
c major and g
f is a grind..

a life long investment
if i want it to be
you always have a friend

lovers may come and go
poverty may
boredom..

but you will always
have your guitar
no end

Sep 15 · 51

Untitled

Michael John Sep 15

Untitled

i

yes, says lily by saying
nothing we say it all
a silence more elegant

then,anything can be said..
silence is worship..
blessed are the animals

the stars and grass..thought..
crow at the letter box-
his beady black iris..

ii

lily-i am learning the guitar!

Sep 13 · 73

and write some poetry

Michael John Sep 13

and write some poetry

do you know what i mean
i try to write that
some detailed dream
coins that miss a hat

that send them scurrying
i wanted to shout
the birds laughing
i wished for knout..

ii

which was a weapon
the tsarists beat the cossacks with
to no avail
in the morning i see sails

little white on the great blue
it is sweet..i want my ashes sprinkled
on the med..consumed by fish
ate by gulls

shat into the earth from which
a tree grows and love begins..
is that asking too much..
the knout was made from some hard wood..

iii

lily says
she has nothing to say
in the uk

our hitting implement
was birch to which the russians
attatch certain romantic qualities

can´t remember what..
klimpt liked them
personally,i don´t think

hitting anyone helps
then,the swallows fly by
then, i check out green

and have a shower
and practise my jazz classical
songs..

on the hill the cacti
in a summer that burned i
too hot for the flies
think about keith haring..

and have some eggs which
survived the shelfs demise
i thought it was the ceiling..
frightened the **** out of us..

eggs good..i am reading
adrian mole the cappachino years
which is charming

and amusing and an interesting
historical document..the ninties were
rather evasive somehow..

i played the girl from ipanema
and though it grinds
f major-

and some fancy *** runs
i tried to make it cry
fine woman..

i got into it..
the middle eight kicks
her scent

some what evasive
the city stops
a dream begins..

and then look out again and
think what to do today
and write some poetry..

Sep 13 · 78

it is god so..

Michael John Sep 13

it is god so..

lily looking out the window
while the little birds look in
she says she has nothing to say
the sky is sin..

it is blind o but it has
everything
omnipotent and mute
a wing..

a feather in the dust..
is a trickle and blown
back and forth
it is god so..

Sep 12 · 260

what we will find there..

Michael John Sep 12

what we will find there..

the price of fame, lily muses
little birds sing through the letter
box..she book marks..

what is she reading-?red dragon,
an idiosyncratic thriller
(the first outing for hannibal lecter..)

a serial killer inspired by blake´s
the great red dragon and the woman
clothed with the sun..

evil in the mouth and a mad grandmother
it could be familiar..
in the family..

it is in the reflection-o mirror
it is all in our past-just see
what we will find there..

Sep 11 · 60

Untitled

Michael John Sep 11

Untitled

reminiscent of the dinner table
as a child..
the future fortold
happily and sadly, ignored
the ketchup label my friend..

ask me what is in it..
and i mean the real ****!
you could compose a suicide note
or become a poet..
wait..waiting..

for the red to flow..
hitting the bottle so..
bap..bap..bap..!
stick a knife o
in..offer the tongue..
lie under the ******* sun
and prey..

ii

sun on crow
his shiny eye so
twirling..

in the letter box
lily..?
i have offering

a poem -what do you think?
i sent it away
still waiting..

iii

your dissolute life has it´s
foundings in the infant
dining experience..?

join the club little bird one
love and eating..
death and isolation..

chips fishfingers and peas
the british way
bread and butter..and tea..

Sep 10 · 75

a desultory hand..

Michael John Sep 10

a desultory hand..

too nought-nought..
but lily says what
she likes about poetry
is she has her say..?

and the audience is huge!
never before has man spoke to
man..
there could be hope

there may be communication
information like grains of sand..
knowledge and wisdom..wiping
away a tear with a desultory hand..

Sep 8 · 73

to nought

Michael John Sep 8

to nought

lily wipes away a tear
time is fear and we can do nought
one day later and closer
to nought..

Sep 2 · 72

lily wipes a tear away..

Michael John Sep 2

lily wipes a tear away..

maybe we are similar
over her toast and coffee
when i refer to myself
as a n-

i mean someone put
down (by society)
as artists sometimes are..
nothing to do with colour..

like van gogh and all the rest..
mailer in the sixties coined the phrase
a white n-
to be clear..

ii

everything is open to mis-interpretation
some can not say money
some may not say anything..

honey is honey
anyway you see
lily wipes a tear away..

Aug 30 · 81

who made it

Michael John Aug 30

who made it

he was a poets poet
worked through the night
a bottle of gran dad

to wagner or bach..
and ate twinkies or lived
on them..he had a ******* period..

hated poetry..opened for rock
bands..writes like a god
in sentences so clear and simple..

a day at the races?he is the man
o yes-watching an obese family party
he is the one..

but his love poems are so fine
i mean who the hell is tom jones?
he asks,and we say,rather him..

police helicopters circle as
his girlfriends wrestle on the lawn
in his boxershorts..

who´s father was a sadist
and mother was a sadist
who made it..

Aug 30 · 62

love each other

Michael John Aug 30

love each other

so what might come
poe looks out the dusty window
at the sun

if he knows he is not telling
i read post office yesterday
i find bukowski just too funny..

and he tells of gg s breakdown
o god-and wondered about our brain
my father was in the post office..

will we find our raison d´etre-
perhaps not to suffer pain or inflict it
but to love each other..

Aug 30 · 78

what is in our minds..

Michael John Aug 30

what is in our minds..

she says, when i am out of my
mind
i am more in it-do you understand?
sadly,i do..

man,can not do
why..
too much reality..
i don´t know..

within life there is death
a prospect so fearful
so we dance..

creation is a gift
that is it-all nerve end´s
go where?

poe looks thoughtful
too much sugar-
but if it can be so powerful

on a whim-finished-
with that..
what is in our minds..

Aug 30 · 63

but what is the mind?

Michael John Aug 30

but what is the mind?

i read in one of john updike´s
short stories that rheumatoid arthiritis
has a psychosomatic element..

lily smiles..like a rose..
and mourns bitterly her loss-
poe,investigates..

all that glitters is not gold cat..
yes,one day my mother who suffered
for i don´t know 30 or 40 years

with a dickey shoulder ceased
to feel pain
her brain

said that´s quite suffice..
her smile said it all..
but what is the mind..?

the story is called here come the maples..in five or six short pages he tells a couples life story..recalling some real erudite observation and the flavour of the fifties..a civilized divorce..the law was rather strange..but it ends with their first kiss..

Aug 30 · 75

a gold lump...sparkles..

Michael John Aug 30

a gold lump...sparkles..

is it morning or
am i a prison-lily looks
out the window, forever,

a knock on the door..
she puts down her book
what is she reading?

stig of the dump...
a favourite from yore
a little boy finds a caveman..
i recall our teacher..

she says toast halfway to her
jaw-marmalade (in slo-mo) falls
like an avalanche-she yelps
a gold lump...sparkles..

Aug 29 · 70

no-where far enough..

Michael John Aug 29

no-where far enough..

i recall a man´s eye black
with death
a plainclothes moustache
i never looked back..

44 years since then he
looks at me..not in dreams
but for real..i went to the continent
but no-where far enough..

Aug 24 · 65

lily rests her head on the table

Michael John Aug 24

lily rests her head on the table

lily rests her head on the table
if there were freebread, so as people
could satiate their hunger rather then
their anger..

a knock on the door sunday morn-the table
but we shall have to be naked and starving
and storming the bastille again before
anyone notices..

still, we have food banks-when
marie-antoinette was told the people
of paris were starving for lack of bread
she famously anwered-then,let them eat

cake-which was an inferior product
probably inedible..and such callousness
led to the downfall of the monarchy
it would actually pay the powers that be

to demonstrate some generosity..(more likely
to find snow in july..)
who´s at the door..?pop,goes the cork..
ahhhh..sunday..

ii

why is there such poverty in this
rich country?who is there?
why is there hunger?

traditionally, it has been so
history again..in the victorian era
britain was the richest most powerful
country in the world and yet

3/4 of the population lived in
the most abject poverty..
and now the gap between rich and
poor has spiralled out of sight..

not because the poor are poorer
that would be impossible but there
is the billionaire-there is a letter for her..
she looks at it like where

did you find this..as usual they divide
and conquer-now,migrants are the enemy..
o look a poem from crow..they talk of
the trillionaire-it is like monopoly..

one day one person will-it is called
own everything-i will be the dog..
no wonder people live off rada as they
say..

iii

i will be the dog and you
can be the racing car or top hat
and we will hit the town!

it matters not what they do
we dance and laugh..
donne the crown

the weeping willow
some pretty tat
love and freedom..

i am a do-do
the latest cat
you my queen..

and we go-go
some eternal night
where adam and eve dream..

a no-no
the delicious whites
and black seem

the same woes
the same euphoria blights
is and has been..

as is now
human rights
above everything..

iv

yeah.crow we must go out
some time..pours some wine
though i am a recovering alcoholic

of 31 years..that is mine..
you know time is time
tick-tick..

Aug 23 · 64

if lily-

Michael John Aug 23

if lily-

if lily- they don´t like you
then the truth is first
out the window..

and all the little details too
omission is a curse
until it grow

into something new-
not exactly false
you will say o!

me?a picture drew
called or else
just a stone throw

that is true but
rehearsed..
they are making it up as they go

along and it is true about
them also..
it gets worse-

what the doctors call
tranference
you know-

their faults are yours
i think..
bored..mainly..

there only way some righteous
wink and together they say
we agree..

Aug 20 · 87

we habit mad vignettes of

Michael John Aug 20

we habit mad vignettes of

we habit mad vignettes of
design
called love
(or lose your mind..)

a blue print of our dint
from hell or heaven
above-
hieroglyphic signs

obscure lines
we wanted but did nt..
intricately wove and plain
as one´s nose..

the first time we clap eyes
on them..like time forever
young..sepiad but no
such words..

Aug 19 · 69

do i have to habit this mad vignette?!

Michael John Aug 19

do i have to habit this mad vignette?!

do i have to habit this
mad vignette!?-lily shouts
through the letter box..
to crow´s laughing wing..

she returns holding his epistle
another poem!slams it down
amid the charred remnants of
toast..

lemon marmalade (it is called)

a bitter thing called love
bought and sold from
the discount up the road

or some enough
neither fire nor stone
some tedious code

sent from heaven above
shared but alone
hell in it´s abode

yellow red and mauve
labelled one
to two bestowed

who once owed
nothing..
but now love..

ii

in her eyes a far mind
over the tatty hum
called linoleum..

a little more this and
that..
peace and a black cat..

Aug 18 · 66

there was a strange attitude

Michael John Aug 18

there was a strange attitude

there was a strange attitude
(to you) i did nt understand
some find success hard..

some have no idea-
you were an enigma-
had you come from america

and not a geordie boy..
you were pretty and talented
had you the grace to die young..no..

an actor
a ****** athelete
a lovely wife..

we were all at sea
a classical composer
an enviromental warrior

ancient heart
well read and clever
no,wonder..eh..

Aug 17 · 93

they is me

Michael John Aug 17

they is me

i)

they is me
is singular
that is how i
understand
doc..

we share some what
i don´t know
red is black
left is right..
(sit on our arses..)

we some causes
we have some effects
they are basically me
and you..
true..

we want to eat drink and be
merry
we want to be respected..
maybe it should be an outdate
one word..blue..

one word for us and them and
you and me-some cultures i
believe have no word for just
about everthing..
and they go along..

ii

the first word lily says
would be..fire or ****
did i tell you about my dream..
forgot..everytime-think..
fire is the same
as is ****..young is young
and old old..

dance is dance
you are you and ii
where´s my pipe
where´a light
young people think they
have it tough today..
let me tell you..

iii)

i sold earings and i
hated it..
you think what about all
the women..hey..they complain-
hello they go..is that silver..
i have sensitive ears..
like i care..
is it silver..

it is -it is an alloy
of varous metals-one being silver
then why is it so cheap..
everyday..day..after day..
i would be happy when i had to
go to another beach..
you could nt read cause they
ran away if you put your book down..

i have nt got my purse today
tell me when you find it..
they..thought they were at the mall..
once,this woman goes to each stall and
picks an item from each and looks around
for the cashier..we laughed..
si, i go to another island and find a

piece of paradise to get ****** in..
one bus a week on tuesday at four in
the morning..we put away the chairs and
dance..
they were naked and lovely times
in a bamboo hut by the waves..
i read the russians..

Aug 16 · 59

Untitled

Michael John Aug 16

Untitled

i

o my ink-link
to the highest high
like god´s wink
and smile...

let me think
o why
me soul sink
time to die

ii

plenty of time
to expire
will i say more

or laugh..chill or
into the fire..
how fast the time..

went by..
or be me again..ha..
my life again

or spider..sigh or
go howling..!
the serpent eye..

Aug 16 · 69

peter is popular-

Michael John Aug 16

peter is popular-

peter is popular-
my mother said
learn to play the guitar
you will be popular!

but you can´t always trust
your mother..
who,then can you trust
life is a bust..

lily says she has an innate
distrust of popularity-popularity
power regret and guilt..
****,girl?!

Aug 15 · 84

on the other hand what

Michael John Aug 15

on the other hand what

on the other hand what
we do has a habit of a hat
good intention not with-

what we give we get..
act of kindness-see through dress
pay our debt..

then of horse
long time dead and lost
the flowers..

Aug 14 · 78

regret is pointless

Michael John Aug 14

regret is pointless

regret is pointless
useless but invariably
part of our lives..

illogical, says lily
but can ****
like guilt..

they say it is worse to
regret what has not been
rather than what has..

how do they know..
she says she has no regrets
and feels no guilt..

only a harlot is a harlot..
from the moment of concept
our way lays before us..

Aug 13 · 75

potatoes and onions

Michael John Aug 13

potatoes and onions

i

potatoes and onions cost
well so does music
my hearties..

sure,you can sit round
the corner-but not much
is free..shout insults?!

but look hard in
the mirror-you will
see yourselves..

ii

sick of your hypocrisy
and *******
o god..

you are the people
of god
innocent..

iii

no farmers no food
but plenty slaves
and four wheel drives..

so give us a tune
cause we are alone
and poor..

Aug 12 · 88

that is so typical of you

Michael John Aug 12

that is so typical of you

that is so typical of you
i write a poem and i am now
blank as i don´t know..

it does nt even sound like me..
you were angry
i was angry-i don´t know

why..there were negative forces
at work-you know what i mean..
i liked you..

Aug 10 · 82

joe,you said why

Michael John Aug 10

joe,you said why

joe,you said why
i did nt write a poem about
you

i know that´s not to
say i should but it
is sunday

and i am making falafel
and listening to hawkwind
and i am a bit ******

so here goes..i won´t post it
cause she is the jealous type..
that night in your cardboard box

was nearly the death of me
it began,with you trying to burn
a hole in my cardigan..i held your arm..

and we said hello..we went back to yours
a shanty around the factory
in your cardboard box we had *** and

in the silence laughed and it was cold..
though ok..i nearly died..
it was so cold..

Aug 9 · 72

we love the moon because..

Michael John Aug 9

we love the moon because..

we love the moon
because..it is non-committal
and detatched from the affairs

of man..we try to drag it in
with poetry and science
but it remains..

aloof and laughing..fearful
that someone somewhere understands
or hollow..

ii

we love the moon because..
it reminds us of when we were small
and we wanted a biscuit as big as..

but have never compromised
though the smile has got madder
essentially we remained..

iii

we love the moon because..
we don´t..this is a myth
we fear it..

it is paranoid-a mad wife
with a great white carving knife
held to the throat..

iv

we love the moon because
she is high priestess witness
to our love and suffering

and if she seems to laugh
o they are great tears
and we may join in..

v

we love the moon because..
we love the moon
because..

we love..
i mean **** it all
love and the moon..synonomous..

Aug 8 · 83

right,thankyou little bird..

Michael John Aug 8

right,thankyou little bird..

right, thank you little bird
here is a song-police and thieves
a prophetic little ditty
of guns-homogenous as leafs

from the same tree-i recall joe
strummer looking at me..
it was a long curious look
i looked back..

and mott the hop will take
us to the news..
hey, steve what do you say..
so joe..

he looked at me like i knew
i knew enough not to..
a long time ago-give them enough rope..
and hitching home from the corn-exchange..

ii

do people still hitch-hike, steve?
i don´t know..why not..
i will ask..

it is a dodgy business
who was more frightening me
or them..

Aug 6 · 78

hello,lily?

Michael John Aug 6

hello,lily?

hello,lily?all power corrupts?yes,
i agree,(ask shakespeare?!)
part of the human dilemma-
from milk monitor to dj and
****** favour.. but just remember the higher
the monkey climbs the more it shows it´s
bottom-hindu proverb..thankyou bill
words of wisdom..who is on the line please..?

hello,lily..hello,crow on the subject of power-
at berkley college back in the sixties
they took twenty volenteer students-
ten were prisoners and ten were gaolers

and re-enacted their roles
as near as-no violence was
the only rule..the experiment was to last
a month but broke down after a week or so
the turn-keys becoming uncontrollable..

anything else crow ..no..o i have poem..

better to love than be loved?
prisoner or gaoler..?
to be continued..

no end or a begining
your green eyes-
beter than dying..

Aug 5 · 72

hello bill,are you there?

Michael John Aug 5

hello bill,are you there?

hello, bill, are you there?
yes,very nice..read another one?
ok..this is called:was gary glitter
surprised when the police showed..

as my father would like to say all
power corrupts but total power
corrupts totally..(as anyone arriving

at his counter one minute past
the hour would know..)yes, money
power and *** ammount to the same
on one foot in the desert and pray..

Aug 4 · 67

Untitled

Michael John Aug 4

Untitled

i thought i´d begin with a poem

it is when we ignore reality
on our hamsters wheel
round and round, humanity
what do we feel?

nothing-it becomes only..
we ****** and steal..
madness and atrocity..
why?well,

it is not ourselves,see
it´s a together deal
i am you and you are me
an innocent pill..

we are one-hee-hee
it is kind of ill..
in a little century
we say still..

forgotten..forgive..be
tolerant..did it happen-nil
no maybe..who cares hey..
and it happens again, bill..

Aug 4 · 71

WHEN..

Michael John Aug 4

WHEN..

WHEN my mind is empty
i wonder why-is it the negative
energy or am i just lazy, why..
o to live..

my father would say
i was too lazy to fall off the couch
i tried it once-ouch..
(that is the kind of thing they say..)

i felt safe there, outside-monsters
roamed
so i lay with mirror and comb
beautiful world leader..

Aug 2 · 55

what have you got for us today

Michael John Aug 2

what have you got for us today

what have you got for us today
i thought i´d do a chatty thing
get them to call in
with opinion and request..

you have shaved your head..
is that some kind of joan of arc?
no, i was ******
looks nice..

well,bon chance-here cate
is this tea magic
you bet..
try not to say ****..321..