In bed, I lay
upon my cushioned existence I stay
but outside the world's at play
birds swimming in the sky
and trees that gently sway
dancing the day away
and I continue to lie
the distant sounds
of yawning grounds
two parched lips
as the Earth does rip
let the rain come
so we may take a sip
heavens nectar
falls upon a discarded deckchair
striped like candy cane
blotched with the rain
scattered upon sandy dunes
could this be a monsoon
ironically late
but still worth the wait
paid patience admission at the gate
one ticket to wet wet wet
this is what patience gets
just need a raincoat
so I can appear in the matrix
how can you hate this
a neopolitan sky
dripping with colour
if I were a scholar
I could espouse on its many virtues
instead, I turn up my collar
and tip my hat
a little milk won't hurt you
an umbrella swung round a lamppost
and now I'm Gene Kelly
still wearing a raincoat
but dancing
romancing the moonlight
for night has snuck in the back door
like an absent teenager
but this too shall pass
soon the dunes turn to grass
and I too return to task
a new day
at play.

a world made of dreams
and only to those it seems
overwhelming

a child crys, an infant dies
and we only care about
celebrities

blond hair and blue eyes
makes a perfect messenger of lies
for those who see the ties

connected at the heart
but we are man so we tare apart
all the ties that bind

divide and conquer like Neopolitan
separate and three
black, white, and strawbarry

confusing is the world and all that live
understand we can't, trust we do

make a hole in the pit of your soul
then show the world what it can do

seen many things I have not
been many places I have not
so many things ahead of me

and as I watch myself slowly kneel
I say *life is a gift for the sadness I feel

Roast beef steaming on a plate
Baked potatoes gravy laced
Yorkshire puddings
Round and brown
Carrots and stuffing
At Christmas found.

Gathered with our festive cheer
Mum, dad and brother near
Laughing in our paper hats
Holding napkins on our lap
Patterned crackers, motto inside.

Sometimes on the floor does slide
A silver plated ring or plastic guide
The pudding rich and fruity bake
Spoonful of single or double take
And Neopolitan ice cream to taste.

Now to go and watch the box
Someone help to do the washing up
The snow is soft on our lawn
Throwing crumbs from garden door
Blackbird and sparrow spy them all.


Love Mary ***

I caught

one

once,



it felt

and tasted

like a

ice cream



melting from

the corner

of your

mouth,



and it

was glorious

and Neopolitan

in flavor.



and just

for a

castaway

moment



we were

in a

cocoon
growing
changing
embracing
love ,


and then

suddenly
the shadow

fell,


and you

inhaled

my love

and spit

it out,


like a

dog who

just ate

something

vile.


and then
you

ran,


and

then when
our
eyes would

meet,


you ran

some more.


keeping just

far enough

away


outside

my desperate

reach,

that lord

forbid

that I

might

ever

taste your
ice cream

smile again.


that summer

I was 13
it was my
first kiss..


I was just
a child


who once

thought

anything

was possible.
then I
met you..


stupid

girl.


*****.

If you were an ice cream flavor,
you'd be the 2/3 of Neopolitan that doesn't include vanilla—
and I'm not just saying that because I love chocolate and you don't.
And if you were a city,
you'd be Corsica: you're Italian and, I don't know anything about Corsica but
It sounds nice
Sounds like gorgeous coastal sunsets (or is it sunrises?)
And if you were a street
you'd be 2250 West – the distant street I grew up on.
You're both familiar, short, and I could spend all day just watching you,
running up and down you,
laying up late at night, watching stars with you.
If you were ribbon,
I'd be your present; I'd tie your ankles behind my waist in the most beautiful bow
and on Christmas morning, you'd be the only gift I wanted to open.
I'd wake up early and try to peek without unwrapping you entirely.

Summer melts away
like a soft serve
Neopolitan
ice cream
cone upon
your lips
then mine,

and today
greets you
like a taste
that is
new,

and
it's taste
releases
old tired
tears to be
forgotten,

like adolescent
nursery rhymes
that your
mother sang
to you.+

that were
your everything
for awhile.

but now  you
are awake
and life is
everything
before you,

and the morning
like a new
lover breaks
before my

eyes.

love
swirls around
in
your head
but
through
your heart
like
a
Neopolitan carousel