Guzzling Joe
black 'n strong 'n unsweetened as it ought to be
to kick a little something into you
and a drag of a smoke in a quiet place while there's still some morning silent grace like an embrace awake
under a pastel smudged dawn
as dew clings on to another moment forlorn in its dissipation
it gets you ready for the slow deliberate walk into another day

Words set sail from the bay of her mouth
Traveling distance on waves meant for somewhere else
but they crashed upon his shore
and cast him away
She was oblivious to this.
later in a quiet cove
far from others
her concern asked of his silence.
How could he tell her he caught sight of her course?
A lie.
I'm fine,
had too much wine and such.
They drifted apart soon after.
That was years ago

Bah humbug it's Christmas
Time to panic and purchase extra ****
Time for adverts to hype kids to pester parents to scavenge shelves. Time for painful smiles to be painted and pretend all is well as kin folk gather.
Worry about bedding, and seating and gravy boats and tangled lights and sellotape and hiding spaces they want to sink into.
Time for the lonely to feel isolated and the happy to be oblivious.
Time for excess and ** ** **. Christmas songs relentless grinding through bones while millions go without.
Time for charity boxes to rattle because governments ignore.
Time for hangovers and walks of shame.
Devouring more than is needed. Consumed by the season's abused meaning.
Then once done and discarded we have January, Billuary ready to ****** up the spoils.
And the New Year foolishness of resolutions, and lose weight, get back in shape, sales and sales and holiday dreams until the old valentines rolls in, then Paddy's day and Easter, then pressure for the perfect beach ***. It goes on chipping away and chipping and chipping.

The cold gnawed through bones this morning
If there were clouds I'm sure ice blocks would have fallen
crushing cars, destroying roofs and squishing squashy humans.
But the sky was a crystal blue perfect.
I thought it said "hello"
and "how are you"
"shivery but fine", my reply
Then a glint of sunshine gave me a smile.

There's leaves waiting to be gathered pooled by the trunk
while others remain restless on limbs seeking one strong gale to unite with the fallen and have done with the inevitable.
The rake is eager to prove its worth peeking out from the shed.
I'm in no rush while enjoying the lush crimson and amber and brown watching as one by one they topple down.

Squandered an hour or so
chasing an echo's
last rebound
off mountain slopes
until the final "hello"
fell unanswered as it petered out tapering to a point of silence.

A squandered hour or so
making sure I was all alone
Sometimes and some places
are better being by oneself
like when you need a primal scream to rip open
unwitnessed,
unseen
for some the burden of despair
is too personal to be shared,
and no, talking doesn't always help.