Catastrophe

 The cat came in and got the cream

She licked the split, likety split went down like a dream

Then she spilt the milk, oh alabaster silk

Running like a nose all over the quilt

And the cat just froze, and the woman screamed

My dream, my dream, my kingdom for a fire hose

To spray the cat, but the cat soon scrammed

Knocking over a watering can, and taking with it

The kettle flex, which pulled along the perspex

Of the kitchen work top, toppling a mop

Until it reached the china vase

At which point my memory jars

Full of shattering, and the clattering of iron bars

Which rang out blue murder, sacre bleu

More wreck and damage could not be made

By a cat herder, on his way to the pound, waylaid

With his screaming contraband over turned 

With tails and claws, coming out of all his draws

Than this utter cat catastrophe.

Oh what's that I hear you mutter

Poor little pussy?!

No sir, no I say again neigh

This cat with her bells and whistles

Has gone too far on this day

Never again shall she dare to enter in

My wonderful sparkling clean kitchen 

and yet I hear her scratching little claws now

Under the door  just above the prow

Of the step, she purrs and meows

And inch by creeping inch, she is inveigling

herself back in

And soon she will be sitting pretty

As if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth

Poor little pussy, come and have some milk

The Truth

It was hidden behind a facade 

It was the tree lost in the wood of lies

I was blind to it, didn't want to hear it

Even closed my ears and eyes

And stuck my head in the sand

 

But it was ferreted out, it was winkled out

And prized apart like an oyster to reveal its pearl

It was weighed in the hand, on the scales of justice

It has been weighed against the purest gold

And found to be of perfect carat

It has the clarity of a diamond

It shines a light, but not through a prism,

It does not dance like an ephemeral rainbow

It stands tall, but is often hard to pin down

It changes shape or appears to sometimes

But in reality it never changes at all

It is fact incarnate

It is the living flesh of an idea of man

But then women know it

As too a child can

It requires, like the pearl, grit to make it stick

Courage to tell it

the balls to speak it

But like a weight-lifter's load

It is a relief to get it off your chest

And often involves fits of tears

And smeared make-up and tissues

In hospital waiting rooms

Or beside beds

It is pure,

It is the most valuable treasure we own

Yet it cannot truly be sold

Because when this is tried it disappears

Below the fold

To others it is a tradable commodity

Because someone will pay top dollar for it

But when they have it, they only wish to hide it again

And cover ups are cheaper when they are smoked

With a pack of lies

It is like a ticking bomb then, liable to explode

In their hands

Or like a burning match it will burn the fingers

Of the one holding it, yes, it is sometimes fire

And sometimes ice, because they die with it.

They take it to their graves.

And then the trail runs cold, 

But if we let ourselves sell the truth so cheaply

We sell with it our souls.

It comes out in the wash

With the dirty linen

It is the skeleton in the closet

To be discovered by the bin men

It is told in halves, in pieces of a puzzle

It is hinted at by clues or by fingerprints on a muzzle

It sometimes can seem dark, though often loud as a dog's bark

And like a dog with bone at play, it too must have its day

 

It is free to everyone whether a king or a slave,

Yet it can cost the earth, or it can cost a close shave,

It can slip from your hands when you don't watch it

You must keep your eye on the ball, you must be brave

It is the writing on the wall, it is the writing on your grave

It is truth and most of all if you speak it then someone’s life you might save

Ghost ship

 I am the ship that will never reach port

Sail all night for the pirate's sport

I am the ship that will never get caught

Well I sail all night, and I sail in the morn

By the morning light I'm still sailing on

Yes I am the ship that will never reach port

All the times that you have thought

I am the ship that is sailing on

To the endless seas of the horizon

And I never reach the final goal

Yes I am the ship with the ghost like soul

I am the ship against the rainbow

That chases the light, that chases the snow

I am the ship that will never reach port

Through the many wars that I have fought

I am the ship that will never reach port

A sailor's life is for the devil's sport

Down to the south where humpbacks are caught

Up to the North where life cuts short

I am the ship that will never reach port

Well the sabres swing, and scabbards fly

And gull on the wing will teach us how to sigh

And the swords they flash and the sailors cry

I am the ship that keeps fighting til I die

Yes I fought on through the wars of old

I fought to the rainbow for the pot of gold

I fought to the ends of the earth you see

For I am the ship on the rolling sea

And it rolls on down and it rolls on wide

And it rolls forever to the bright sunshine

And it rolls there now and it rolls so fine

And it rolls on down to the bright sunshine

Yes I am the ship that will never reach land

And I never touched sand and I never held a hand

I am the ship that will sail alone

Through the times of the age, but never reach home

I am the ship that will never reach port

I will sail all night and I'll never get caught

And the fires on the raging seas of time

And I'll never stop, never stop while I'm in my prime

And I wend and I wander through the days of olde

And the seas are coming and the seas are cold

And the waves are breaking on the ship's stronghold

The ship that will never reach the land

For the love who will never hold my hand

I am the ship that will never reach land

I will keep on sailing for as long as I can

I put down no anchor and ask the help of no man

Yes I am the ship that will never reach land

I ask for no quarter, no quarter from man

I am given no help except to stick to the plan

To be the ship that will never reach land

I am the ship that will never reach land

I am the ship that will never reach port

For I'm chasing the fish that will not be caught

And we chase him south and we chase him North

To the river mouth and round the horn

And the sailors shout and bloody oaths are sworn

In the dirty mouth of babes fresh born

They cry we are the fish who will never get caught

Through the summer drought or the winter storm

And I heard him out, I listened til his sails were torn

He was the tavern tout, a drunken sailor of the morn

And spoke his story with a bottle of stout

To all and sundry even out onto sea air his words were borne

A flash in the pan

 The midwives were busying themselves on the ward

The porters were portering, and the waiting patients looked bored

Nothing much was happening, it was the usual rap

When a certain tap-tapping began to tap

The matron cried "Ahoy there! I smell smoke between the sheets,

Either some aberrant's been smoking or there's a fire on the beat."

Just then the fire alarm rang out, a wailing, chilling sound 

And it stopped the matron somewhere abouts in the middle her round

 

The hospital crew acted bravely to carry out the matron's orders 

She told them to remove the mothers to safty in out-the-way borders

Down the stairs they went flying, like refugees they were sighing

But lucky they were to be evacuated in the nick of time from the scene

as smoke circulated around the bedpan macerating machine

Just then the fire brigade rocked up with their hard hats and their hoses

And they told all those locked up to hold on tight to their noses

And they stormed right up the stairwell, to fight the fire, and quell its flame

But none of them were to know then the bedpan by its burning name

The new mothers stared on with the look of those who had been stunned,

As they held their babes in arms took on the look of Mary or of nuns

But stern they were of will to survive this great ordeal

Hoping in their hearts that they might soon get a meal

Though the babes in arms were yet crying, 

the mothers charms they still kept trying

Until a calm had settled down upon the congregation

When a man decided to have a myocardial infarction

So as the midwives were treating this unfortunate chap

The firemen were charging through for a second lap   

 

The matron then in her most commanding voice

called for calm and order as if they had no choice

So in the end nirvana was again restored

And the patients kept on waiting and the waiting ones got bored

And the man who had been waiting to be seen

Now he had been seen he couldn't wait to leave

And as the last of the bedpan flames were quenched

The sad looking macerating machine was drenched

And luckily nobody's mother's waters broke

So they all trudged back up the stairs thinking what a joke

Because you know they say it never rains but it pours

Which is what they should write on the A and E doors

And all these things were sent to try us

Including bedpan macerating machine fires

And so before you ask if you can use the can

You better be sure it's not for a flash in the pan

Just the wind

 It's just the wind

Blowing wild and free, just the wind

The wind in the tree

Just the wind blowing through me

It's just the wind, the chaos within

The wind blowing free from the sin

The wind takes the ashes from me

And I am free, the wind is the key

When you are locked down, within or without

It is the wind, that sets you free without doubt

It's just the wind

It's just the wind inside of me 

it's just the wind that blows the ships on the sea

Its just the wind, bringing them closer to me

Through the chaos and night's vitality

Just the wind that blows on death's day

Just the wind that takes your ashes away

Just the wind that was talking to me

Just the wind telling me to break free

It's just the wind that opens my door

Just the wind but I thought it was more

It's just the wind that was knocked out of me

It's just the wind tryin' to break free

The wild wind, no chain can enslave thee

The wild wind has no master

Just the wind that brings destructive disaster

Just the wind but I thought it was you

You know your spirit will always stay true

Just the wind that whispers to me,

Those sweet phrases that let love be

Just the wind 

Just the wind

Just the wind blowing within or without

Just the wind and you can have no more doubt

It is the wind

It's just the wind

It's just the wind that's changing the world

Just the wind that blows in the new

Just the wind the blows out the old

That changes the guard

Just the wind that's blowing so hard

Just the wind the carries a new hope

Just the wind that moves us into new ground

Just the wind that blows the state's ship

To the new world without slavery's whip

Just the wind that sets the people free

From the dictator of state slavery

Just the wind that is ringing the bell

Who does it ring for? Nobody can tell

Just the wind that blows in the belfry

Just the wind that tells the people they are free

Looking glass

 I went into nature to see the birds

But all I saw were the crowds of people

So I went to the city to see the steeples

But all I saw were Empty streets

I went to the moon to look at the stars

But all I saw were parked up Tesla cars

So I went to the stars to see the universe

But all I saw was infinity run in reverse

So I went within to find myself

But all I saw were others reflected there

So I asked the others what can they see

They said behind the mirror they could see me

The story of two monks

They said he was book bound,

And that he was bound to die

They said he was book bound

But in the morning the pages would dry

Well now brother my heart rests on the book that you have left behind

Put your vest back on, take up your oars go back for my book you must find

They said he was book bound,

And that he was bound to die

They said he was book bound

But in the morning the sea gulls would cry

Oh father Cadoc how could I ever

Have forgotten the book of your pride

Just don't make me go out on the water

I am exhausted and the sunlight has nearly died

They said he was book bound,

And that he was bound to die

They said he was book bound

But in the morning the mages would sigh

Now then Baruc you will serve your master?

Make your way down to the water side

There is still light and you can avoid disaster

Return to me my book, before the ink on my page has dried

They said he was book bound,

And that he was bound to die

They said he was book bound

But in the morning the pages would fly

And he left his quill in the ink well

And in the quill the ink did rise

And when his pen was full he put its tip to paper

And he continued to write his next lines

They said he was book bound,

And that he was bound to die

They said he was book bound

But you must read between the lines

And so Baruc went back out on the water

In his sweat and the tears that he cried

For he was more than wet from the river

And with a shiver set back out on the tide

They said he was book bound,

And that he was bound to die

They said he was book bound

But you must read between the lines

And brother Baruc went into the water

He pushed his boat out into the tide

And he fought the storm that ravaged each quarter

And he fought the thought that he might surely die

They said he was book bound,

And that he was bound to die

They said he was book bound

But in the morning the soothsayers would sigh

Oh master, my master, why have you forsaken me

These 8 miles I row for your pride

I pray to God the sea serpents won't awaken seas

And drag me down where the river bed lies

They said he was book bound,

And that he was bound to die

They said he was book bound

But by the morning the wagers would lie

After many long hours of rowing his river boat reached Flatholm's side

And he staggered up to the hermit's hovel and returned with a book in his hand

Oh curse this old book and its pages, I curse this book of his pride

And he thirst for water for ages, but he set out in his boat for Barry's land

They said he was book bound,

And that he was bound to die

They said he was book bound

But in the morning the driftwood would dry

And the darkness drifted all around him

The moon was beginning to hide

Yet his oars kissed the waves that would not drown him

Except for the cursed book by his side

They said he was book bound,

And that he was bound to die

They said he was book bound

And in the morning his mother would cry

And upon the horizon a white squall was gathering

Then lightning split and he was swallowed inside

The blown sea fog, and wind waves were lathering

That whipped up the sea's grog to infernal chide

They said he was book bound,

And that he was bound to die

They said he was book bound

But in the morning the sages would cry

In a sudden swell the book fell far into the stern

And Baruc reached down to gather it

But the sea dogs wave did slather and spit

And in a snarling bite snatched away his free oar

And as he hugged Cadoc's book to his chest

His boat was rocked and spun asunder

In the thrashing maelstrom and thunder

And overturned the book went under

But bobbed up on the otherside

Oh father, father your book was harder

To hook than my journey to paradise

And I lose faith that in my task I am a failure

But in my heart I know God must be on my side

They said he was book bound,

And that he was bound to die

They said he was book bound

But the notes in the margins would dry

And Baruc clung to the keel, with Cadog's book his achilles heel

And he could begin to feel numb cold seeping into his limbs

And through the outrageous winds he held the book fast

And fastened it with bowline strings to the hull

But time and tide wait for no man, 

And soon seawater had filled his lungs by the brimful 

They said he was book bound,

And that he was bound to die

They said he was book bound

But in the morning the gulls would cry

While Baruc was drowning, Cadog was frowning

The wind was blowing a gale outside

But he kept on writing, with his candle flame fighting

The storms breath breathing as his ink it dried

They said he was book bound,

And that he was bound to die

They said he was book bound

But in the morning the wreckages would testify

When finally the dawn broke in the morning

St Cadog saw Baruc's body afloat on the tide

And he went down to see the ship wreck, the flotsam and jetsam

He said a prayer, salvaged his book and then went back inside

They said he was book bound,

And that he was bound to die

They said he was book bound

But by the morning the pages would dry

Baruc's body was buried in a tomb on Barry island

And St Cadog went back to his hermitage on the Flatholm side

And as Cadoc read his tombe on Flatholm island

He thought the only thing that's true was that the Word had never died

They said he was book bound,

And that he was bound to die

They said he was book bound

But now ink on the pages has dried