Poetry

Monday, 2 March 2026

Treasure

 Upon your cliffs I have kissed

Your thrift

Your spare ribs of a ship wrecked hull

I've hugged your skeleton crew

And thought I knew you

Bones and all

But what did I know of

That rattling chest 

Where you keep your heart?


Treasure


Your speedwell fell

fast as a peregrine

Your glass back

Was a waterfall

Broken trembling

Your arms

Were a figurine resembling

And I have fallen

In the spray of your sea cave

And drowned beneath your teeth

Which you keep

Behind the shark's jaw

But I don't think of you

So much anymore

Monday, 23 February 2026

Footprints in the sand

 When you're on your own

And you feel let down

Like a wheel of chrome

In an all white town

When the crows have flown

And your levee's down

And your river's flowed

And the water's brown

Hold out your hand

So you won't drown

He's a walking on water

Wears the thorny crown


Won't you Save me Jesus

I need your help right now

I'm on my uppers

My last supper's drowned

In poisonous wine

I'm wearing the lepers frown

They've all left me to suffer

In this one horse town


When the fear creeps in

It floods your heart

You don't know where to begin

You can't hardly start

I want to believe in him

I want to believe in Art

But my patience has worn thin

Just like the ice on the Dart


I'm walking along the beach

Two sets of footprints in the sand

Then there's only one

I don't understand

Where has he gone?

Why's he abandoned me

In my hour of need

He's off out to sea

But it's not true

I'm not alone indeed

When you think it's only you

You see he was carrying me

Thursday, 19 February 2026

To build a boat

 God said to Noah

Build me a skiff

Noah said I might but only if

God said quiet I make the rules 

There's a flood coming you don't know

about, so try to go to boat school

No ifs or buts, here are the tools

Bend me some planks

Curve me some ribs

Look Noah

Just get off your butt

And build me

A bloody big ship

So Noah said right

I've got one bloody night

To build God this boat


Wednesday, 18 February 2026

Pride

 When you think that you'v got no further to fall

Hold on for you are still attached to the wall

Of pride

And it's a slippery slope, the higher you climb

The further you fall

So try to be humble that's all

Try not to let the seed of greed grow tall

It's ever ready in a fertile heart

Corruption sinks in and the rot starts

But stand guard against chaos and disaster

Brian the ferryman

 Brian the ferryman

If anyone can the ferryman can

I wanted to cross over the river

I wished to cross over the sea

Just so I wasn't a lily liver

And a brave sailor man I would be

I tried it by boat on my lonesome

But I came unstuck at the oars

I didn't know which way to row her

And so I circled right back to the shore


Oh next I thought I would swim it, 

But I put one toe in and ouch

A crab had only gone and bitten it

So I turned round and acted a grouch


Just then I saw my friend Brian

Hi Bry I cried, it was outdoors

Howdy do di me young rapscallion how can I be of help

Well my boat I've scuppered and bare feet suffered

So I shan't be swimming through the kelp


So Brian can you help me to cross over the water 

I can for I'm the ferryman,

I can I'm slippered away

It'll only cost you a farthing

Then you may be on your way

Nearer or farther he wouldn't say

But Brian the ferryman can

Take me across the bay

Canned heart

 Who's that knocking on my window pane?

It's just the wind, again and again

Who's that knocking I thought it was you

I can't find the words

 To say I'm sorry

It's just the wind,

 It'll have to do


Who's that opening my heart like a can

To find another heart shaped man

My heart is just a fruit in a can

For you to eat, eat it up, lover woman

My Caroline

 Oh my baby Caroline

G My peace and my war D Am What do you wish for Emfrom this Red Wine?A7 DTo Compare your blood to mine? [Verse 2] G What if, what if, if so your human woesGcould all amount to the indigo C D Bm EmFlowing river under the bridges of VeniceC Am EmBeneath the Gondolas' oars [Verse 3] C D G C My struggle and my torment Am C D GOh God grant me deathG C My baby Caroline, what a pity, G Dwhat a pity this love is in this cityGWhat a pity