Poems

We mustn’t forget how we got To be who we are and where we are; Looking at the photographs Of family members from the past, Many of whom we don’t recognise, Elderly women and elderly guys, People from previous generations Who came here from other nations Each with...

It’s sunny, it’s clammy, the heat is terrific. Everyone’s happy, unless sat in traffic. People meander when crossing the street, Taxis are threatening to drive on their feet. A man with two children’s attempting to cross, The drivers won’t let him, they don’t give a...

Blossom sat down, and declared the world was mad Didn't the stupid rain know where it should fall? Why was her furniture floating in this wet England? Whilst the land of her birth, was as dry as a bone. Three years, she'd been here, left the famine behind Had enjoyed...

Precipitation from above, unto the earth doth sate Pouring forth in torrent, daring feathered friends to soar Perched on wooded bough, their stifled song 'til morrow waits Blooms potential harmony in lifeblood's thunderous roar Bumbled buzzing creature’s pollen search...

You give sanctuary from my life A brief pause on reality Thank God for white wine!

Hurl thy spear in hopeful arc, unfurl the disc of stone Twirl the hammer of the Gods, ne’er Cannon shot be thrown Leap yon sand pit for a lark, employ thy bendy pole Lift above one’s body height, lithe frame in 'Boston roll' Hop and skip afore ye launch as far as thee...

Prowling, scowling, pacing, facing, swaying ‘rap like’ to and fro Tannoy trumpets fanfare of each gladiator’s name Tracksuit leggings peeled and placed inside the wicker basket slow Race officials check their list, whilst making sure within right lane Starter mounts...

I’m walking in a minefield Each step could be my last I must keep going forward No matter what the cost

Oh Lucy, poor Lucy, your family’s dead Of fumes from the ashheap that lay overhead. And you, but a suckling at your mother’s breast Were found with your brothers and sisters in bed. Yet you lived, and you prospered, to sail o’er the sea And your children grew strong...

The pain is back I can’t let it show The morphine’s worn off They won’t see me cry I’ll die like a man If it’s the last thing I do Choppers on its way Sarge says I’ll be ok I know that’s a lie Seen too many die Just smile and pretend It’s what we do at the end A...

No privacy allowed by you, no secrets left unshared No embellishment of stories told, as if you haven’t heard No comments made within your shade, for you that just won’t do Opinions outlined to exact a different point of view You waltz through my existence, in...

Life alone is not life A man has to love and be loved Without this he is not a man And his life is wasted

Your child’s first words An unexpected act of kindness Your lover's smile just for you Small things do matter

I had hoped for more time But that is not to be Now we shall see What we shall see

They said they’d sent my son away To fight some distant war… But they said my son was killed today, When they’d knocked upon my door. They said he died courageously On some desert’s dusty sand… They said they would bring him back to me From this somewhere foreign...

Wispy wonders that flow through the air Or bubbly blobs that move here and there Cirrus and Stratus an unlikely pair Whilst Cumulonimbus brings rain and despair Up in the air there's a candy floss land That no-one can touch with a regular hand Try as they may, try as...

Another night marking time My life on pause Wasted hours I can't get back Waiting...

A raindrop falls from the sky Exists a mere moment Brief imitation of life Gone in a heartbeat

When the smoke of battle clears And you’re the only one left standing Life takes on new meaning You never want to be alone again

I’m half a man living half a life Existing not feeling Breathing by reflex Afraid to remember My memory’s pain Alcohol stops that For a time anyway Don’t want to sleep I fear to dream Waking up’s even worse Each day a nightmare That won’t go away But one half’s still...

I stood in silence and cried Cried in memory of those that have died Died for a cause they said was just Just because others said they must Must go to war, whatever that war War came a knocking at their door. Off to battle in foreign lands Fighting an army or...

I had a dream of glory, That man would live in peace, That all the wars through out the world, Would stop and all the killings cease? I had a dream the world was free, From famine and decay, That all of those that suffer, Their pain would ease away. I had a dream I...

The dreams of youth foredoomed to die The tears upon your cheeks would dry. The fruited-thorn your flesh had torn And, now, your only son was gone. Watch how the liveried flunkies bow- He’d fight for king and country now. Though born to work the hard, cruel earth He’d...

The summer solstice - came and went Engulfed in cloud and rain No-one ventured very far Soaking wet inside their car They prayed for sun again The summer solstice - what a joke It really makes you cry Festivals are not so good Battling winds and seas of mud With...

Children aren’t encouraged To use imagination. Everything they do Has to be prescribed; Dictated by the experts Who claim that they know best About how to develop kids To benefit society. So children are like clones Pushed into states of thinking, Generally subdued,...

A woman, when she’s courted, Is all sweetness and light; Then marry her and she becomes A nagger overnight. And that is the experience Of every married man; It seems that we are subject To a universal plan. They say that it’s a man’s world, But I am fascinated That we...

I bought myself some Premium Bonds In nineteen seventy two I didn't want a big return A twenty-five would do But Ernie must have passed me by No letter in the post He must know lots of other folk Who need his cash the most I don't say that I'm really poor Or need a...

There’ll be no resuscitation, Operation, medication, For those over sixty five. Why should they be kept alive? It’s proving to be much too dear To let them have an added year. They’re burdens on society, Drains on the economy And that’s why we should set them free To...

When our spirits weaken with despair The Angels’ Share drifts in the air. Each thoughtful deed or kindly word Enlightens time upon the earth. And some would bow their heads and pray While others search for words to say That would bring meaning to their lives A myriad...

Ears pricked and eyes alert His body taut with fear Hiding in the clover field And straining hard to hear The sound that made him quickly stop His evening hunt for food Could it be the threat of man That made him change his mood? A breeze then stirred the clover field...

Emerging from his set In meadows bathed with gold The badger sniffs the air Not tempted to be bold How easy it would be To gambol in the sun Roll around the meadow As day is nearly done Everywhere there's danger For this creature of the night Enemies are out there In...

Alone at night in vain pursuit I stroll upon a dreamtime beach Where countless shells reflect the light From stars, save one, ‘tis out of reach In spreading shoulders open wide To span expanse of ocean's floor Perchance to cause a rising tide Which brings thee safely...

Though, now, no longer flesh and bone a man was laid beneath rough stone. What were his dreams and passions we may, now, never know Life changes with its seasons the years must onward go. Brown eyes once lit with laughter his blood once stirred with pride And O, he...

The Jubilee’s a washout Just like the Coronation, But we won’t let a drop of rain Affect our celebration. It’s rained throughout the sixty years For more than forty days. St. Swithin’s come to Britain And this is where he stays. Perhaps when Charles becomes the King...

As I’ve had a birthday I’m going to start a project. This will take me seven years And it will be completed When I reach three score and ten. I’ll build myself a pyramid Just like the early Pharaohs did And that’s where I’ll be laid to rest With all of my possessions....

Elizabeth’s ‘Armada’, slipped by on waves of heartfelt cheer Subjects who had served the Crown, were seen to even shed a tear ‘Gloriana’ sleek and proud, did cut a dash in headlong charge Water craft in panoramic sweep of bridal train, from ‘Gilded Barge’ Vantage...

Bedecked in all his finery, he strolled amongst the working poor No airs and graces to impart, just wondrous image to behold In days gone by young orphan ‘Croft’, in grimy circumstance for sure Per chanced to dream of ‘upper class’ and how their paths were paved with...

I would like to express my thanks For the sixty year of your reign It is indeed a great achievement Maybe never ever seen again You have given so much pleasure A support to all those around That dedication was a promised The day that you were crowned With the support...

What has happened to that lovely girl? What has happened to my wife? She was full of fun and energy She was filled so full of life. It hurts so much, seeing how you are now You are always so tired and sad No more long walks do we take I feel that our life’s been had...

Look after this man/woman he/she’s not dying but he/she’s crying, crying, crying, bout after bout after bout, and we all know what it’s about.

THE 63 YEAR OLD POET CONSTRUCTS THIS ALPHABET TO CALM HIMSELF DOWN @ DAWN IN ESSEX A IS FOR ANTI AIRCRAFT – VERA FROM OUR SHELTERED ACCOMODATION WORKED IN A BATTERY IN WORLD WAR II B IS FOR BATTLER BRITAIN WHOSE COMICS WE DUG C IS FOR TAIL END CHARLIE D IS FOR DERRING...

Every year on father's day I try to hide myself away Whilst others have a day of fun I'm left to be the lonely one No happy father holding me Happy as a dad should be No card or present do I buy Just me, alone, having a cry Wishing once that I just had The chance to...

Detroit hits our London home, as music Mo’ wheels into town Sounds of sixties fill the air, as Tamla vents its special sound Marvin asks “What’s goin’ on”, as we in shock sit open mouthed Then the Tops are “Reaching out” to see if we are there “I can’t help myself”...

One million youngsters out of work; Half are unemployable, Unequipped to get the jobs Which aren’t there for them to do. A desperate situation; An indictment of our Nation Where a lack of innovation, Due to over regulation, Has removed our motivation And condemned a...

Hot and humid is the day The breeze a gentle thing It saps the energy of some And birds refuse to sing A tweet from passing sparrows A croak from an old crow They fly to shelter in the trees 'Til stronger breezes blow Midges in their thousands Fly 'round the garden...

Oh what a journey is life Now full of joy Now full of sorrow And then perhaps full of strife How then to alter our fate Cast off the doubts Banish our ills Defer that defining date In life we all get to choose Who we should be Who we will love But never who we should...

I stand in silence to contemplate Man’s lot on Earth, His sorry fate Pains ever present in our lives And touches all, the fool the wise. Yet, even when we come to pass We fight for breath until the last. We walk in sunlight sleep in shade Decay like leaf-mould in the...

Crammed inside their rusty van Keeping warm as best they can Hoping that a bump or jerk Will make the heater start to work On the road to some new place Where people didn't know their face Climbing stairs with heavy amps Suffering with aching cramps P.A. speakers and...

There is some things that are most fine Precious and dear to someone Will cease to be, simply gone over the passage of time With a splendid spread, one sits to dine Tastes, aromas fleetingly floating free Then there is no food, nothing left to see with the passage of...

whip-poor-will, whip-poor-will As wintering-birds will journey home The soul of one more mortal’s flown. And when that plaintive call is heard Untimely harbinger of death Whose heart no longer flows with blood Who wears the golden-round of love? Why speak of cruel,...

I pretend that I am sleeping In a peaceful pleasant dream Where I am slowly walking By an old familiar stream As it bubbles over pebbles And meanders through the land I pretend that you are with me And I reach out for your hand We wander over the meadow Where we cross...

There's a chicken in my kitchen With a really evil stare It watches me at breakfast And I wish it wasn't there There's a chicken in my kitchen I've tried to kill and pluck it But every time I caught the beast It jumped out of my bucket There's a chicken in my kitchen...

With resolve, but despair and the track of a tear, Proud and bereft, the soldier is left To fend on his own now that he’s come home. We exposed him to terror and from the horror His new tomorrow exposes our error; So few of us dare to acknowledge he’s there.

The tree had stood in the park For as long as I could remember Majestic through summer and spring Golden in depths of September On hot summer days in its shade We sat near the park bowling green Discussing the latest events Or maybe a film we had seen We never had...

There, within a soldier’s grave he was with all-due honour laid. Though lesser men some may admire the example of the few inspire. No stranger to renown and fame on the High Road home his spirit came. Without those haughty airs and graces where all are neatly ranked...

Weeks of training pounded out, body honed in tune with mind Registration forms filled in, awaiting 'numbered chip' secure Charity emblazoned on the shirt, where folks are sure to find Gracious hearts so generous, give of themselves intentions pure Carbohydrate...

If life’s a garden full of thorns Each morning brings its song Every brier-patch hides a rose That blossoms then is gone. Our happiness is all we have To cherish like a jewel More precious than a crown of gold That’s set upon a fool. A gentle heart’s more worthy than...

Untutored in fine arts and graces Old ghosts slip out of secret places. Watched by a host of Scottish kings They walk the stately rooms and wings. The lantern in the abbey’s lit All with a common purpose sit. The solemnities are duly said Hymns sung in honour of the...

Came running, dockers, dentists, gardeners and tradesmen, Eager to bring our lads back, there and then. Jump into their small boats, engines to work, Our nondescript flotilla sailed for Dunkirk. Unprotected, they turned towards pillars of fire; Roar of the guns,...

They’re more trouble now than they were as kids. They tug at your heart and tear you apart, Neither concerned with the needs of the other Or with the needs of their father and mother. They tell you their problems, expect you’ll be there To sort out the mess; you must...

‘Honoured ever be their name bruit the courage of the slain.’ In the land of the loyal where brave souls sleep The willows in silent homage weep The song of the birds, the new-mown grass The words of the fallen who speak of the past... What stories of courage these...

‘Chasing Flaking, Filling Scraping’ sanding off down to the bone Making good, such evidence of life upon the surface shown 'Swish Swash, Splish Splosh' I paint in covered coat times two Erasing memory as shared, of time we spent in coloured hue Neutralising shades are...

Master please, no ‘lead’ today I feel the need to wander free Though many times I’ve run away I‘ve always scampered back for tea I’ve been your faithful charge, ’tis true Ever since you were a boy ‘Throw me a bone’ I beg of you Give me something to enjoy Back when you...

Imperious in gliding stance, upon the lakes reflected pose Mute of name though not of sound, with neck extension carried proud Brood of cygnet’s in her wake, as evidence of mating game A named replacement poets quill, this Pen of feathered kind Her beau floats by and...

Six months That’s how long Without you Every minute pain My mind going mental Can’t stop thinking about you Wanting you Going out of my head My chest hurts Try not to think about you It doesn’t work Whisky doesn’t help Don’t know what to do Never felt this way before...

Passion passed through fingers frail, a sinner’s abacus at hand Decades counted out through life, indulgence of repented soul Devotional in prayerful state when supplicant in heartfelt plea In smoothness of the rounded beads, if truth be known they speak to me...

I used to think I was nobody's fool That the country was run by majority rule But I've been proven a fool you see Everything's ruled by minority At the last election the votes were split The Lib/Dems were asked to help out a bit A Coalition was formed the next day The...