Summer's bird

 I saw you lost your throne of stone

I saw your crown was broke

And in amongst the daisy chains

Was where the blackbird spoke

Saying I lost you in the morning

I lost you in the spring

And the fourth time I was calling

You came home to me again

For the cross was born in the winter

And the tides rose up in field

And we all feel so brave on the short summer waves

When the heat is our only meal

brief time

 I'm telling you the truth

Of the birds who sit and squark

And the colour of the chalk left

By the blackboard

If it was green or was it pink

Oh the submarine did sink

Below the waves of memory

That wash up on the shore

I'm telling you the truth of what I speak

Some days we were strong, on some weak

But we were children then

Running through the thick

Glory days of youth's summer

And on some of those hedgerows

Where the dinosaurs grow

Next to the graveyard wall

To remind us all

That time is brief

And life is short

Though back then time was sport

Life is short

Life is short

It looks out to the left

Is it right?

 Can you tell me, can you tell me

Can you tell me

Is it right

That the things which had been sworn

Keep you up late at night

And is it like a unicorn, moving so magical and bright

Across the favoured summer's lawn

Oh it keeps me awake at night

And is it right that the blacks

Have lost their rights

Is it right that the blues go down Madison's loos

Is it right

In the ailing ships that sway at bay

And is it right that my stopped clock

Is still right twice a day

Tell me in the graveyards

Who has brought the corn?

And scattered over the dead corpses

So that they might be reborn?

Tell will they get up and walk around til dawn

Oh tell me, tell me, tell me is it right?

Is it right that the plague comes and knocks upon my door

While it leaves my neighbour alone,

Makes me want to settle the score

Oh we are all alone before the accounts of the Lord

But I know I can't lift this millstone

That hangs around my neck any more

Tell me oh tell me, tell me is it right?

Oh tell me , tell me,

What keeps you tossing in your bed at night

Is it that you are lonely, is it that your dove has flown

Or is it only that your afraid of the unknown

And who should come and turn on your light

Well follow her to the aquifer and bleed that stone tonight

Tell me oh tell me, tell me is it right

That the blood hurts but what's worse is 

You don't even care

And of course I curse, of course I nurse

A kind of self-mocking despair 

But what's worse is I can see the hearse

Cannot park anywhere!

Tell me oh tell me, tell me is it right

That the carnival of animals

Are on the road tonight

That we all see a vacant sign

When there's someone in there

But she can't get out, and he starts to shout

That there's a human whose soul is laid bare

Or is made out of fresh air?

Love Spade sonnet number 5

 Shall I compare thee to a garden hoe

Thou art more buxom and less straight

And were I to call a spade a spade

A spade by any other name would cut as deep

As the wound your lover's blade has inflicted on mine breast

Shall I compare thee instead to a cold north wind

Which blows down my allotment rows

Freezing all my peas, tearing my cabbage leaves

But no, thine own wind is more poisonous by far

And were it not able to let sleeping dogs lie

I should compare you to a roamin' butterfly

Who wanders aimless through the summer fields

Makes acquaintance with dogrose, or dandilion

But her self has teeth enough when she's a pup

To cut as deep, into my brassica leaf or butter cup

Or as a caterpillar grub to hang high above in Beech

Or as pure as a silken glove as a Chrysilis who speaks

Of stolen love, and innocence though monsterous actions dreams

Well after all, lets call a spade a spade, you do no more harm

lest you keep your forked tongue behind your rake's teeth

For when winter's storm comes to blow dead leaves down my street

I hold you by the trunk and ask those same fastidious protuberances

Be used to clean the mould from between the toes of my frozen feet

The restless 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 far from the land

And I sail over the horizon

And I sail on from the dunes of sand

I am the ship that will never reach port

For I chase the fish can never be caught

Well I chase him south and I chase him north

Yes I am the ship that will never reach port

I am the ship that will never reach port

For I follow the rainbow for the gold I sought

And I sail through rain and I sail through snow

And I sail through the desert sun that I know

I am the ship that will never reach port

and I fight in the wars for the sailor's sport

And the devil knows my name but I am never caught

No until my fame tells the tale of my sort

I am the ship that will never reach port

And I carry no anchor and hold my court

For the kings come to me for to get taught

How to run the game like the devil's sport

I am the ship that will never reach port

And I keep them guessing just as long as I ought

And there is no answer, no answer can be bought

With their pots of gold and their rich consort

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 ice cuts life 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 yes I heard the sails torn

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

And spoke his story through the windows cry

Twin town 4

 The dive bombers are dropping bombs all around and

The shattered land lies in pieces

Of Golgotha's cousin

And seeds are blown from the dandilions

Who roar at the daisies working on the chain gang

And the flower slaves are raving and splashing

With sirens and mermaids in the shallows 

Where our ark hits the breakers of the coral island

Is this false limb the true twin town I ask

And you are like Moses and plant your staff

And stake your claim in tomorrow's garden

Where the gypsies rob

Water from the gutters of the houses of God

And I say all this lighted lanterns of concern

And the burning effigies are not real

On Christmas Day or a Midsummer's Eve

I say run at the height of the festival's plan

Run away from the clan

Back to the seas

Back to our Ark

Back where the sailors are fighting with sharks

And the rough hands of God,

And horses rough shod

Are trampling firmly upon the iron rod

As a Tempest weaves around ruined Castle walls

And standing stones have belly aches from all the prayers they've received

Our ship pushes out away from the false land

Where Caliban is still howling like a banshee from the shore

And Queen Mary is in the tower

Writing her victory score

Fir tree Pet Hotel

 Cats with suitcases

Cats taking the suitcases 

From railway platforms

Passing eachother on the underground

Suitcase and hat on

Suitcase in hand

Dogs taking it easy in the hotel room

Just kicking up their feet

And taking a sip on a pinacolada

A Basset hound with a bloody Mary

A chiwawa with a gin and tonic

Oh the pets are enjoying their holiday

In the pet hotel

Won't you take me to the Pet hotel

Pet hotel is where I wanna stay

Away from my master for a week or two

In the Pet Hotel with you

Yes you can pet me all you like

You can mollycoddle and do what you like

But I'm a dog with my animal rights

Yes I want a holiday too

I'm going to the Pet Hotel

It's out in the sticks and stones

And little puppy dog tails and bones

I'm going to the Pet Hotel

It's not like a zoo

There are no prison guards

there's no cages too

Yes it's a Pet Hotel and I want to 

Stay there with you

Do do, do do, do do- do-do 

It's a Pet Hotel come on everyone

And kick your feet up in front of the fire

It's a Pet Hotel, anything you want is alright

In the pet Hotel

It's the Pet Hotel

Everywhere you go

In summer or snow

Yes Pet Hotel, you can forget about your cares

You can leave your worries at the door

Or under the stairs

Pet Hotel there's no door mat

To wipe your paws

Pet Hotel come on in Cat

You can sharpen your claws

And treat all your sores

De-tick your fur or cough up your balls

Pet Hotel I'm not trying to infer

It's mine when it's obviously yours