stephen west

I battle for everything I think right
specially against right as might,
and realise at twenty four
rebelliously I can do more
...

I know I’ve got a lot to do,
Plenty of work laid by.
I really must get down the shops
Something special to buy.
...

When I heard all the balladeers, and big bands, I thought “Neat”.
But one day Rock and Roll came by with a boogie-woogie beat.

The whole world changed in 18 months as youngsters got the chance
...

My mum said “You go steady”. My Dad said “Just take care.”
So I put my foot down to the floor and made the owner swear.

I whizzed around the twisty track, for sixpence, twice a day.
...

Buddy Holly at the Odeon and I’ve got stalls, third row.
All my friends are jealous because they wanted to go.
My Dad works at the hozzi where they get tickets buck shee.
“Bloody Holly! I don’t know – you can go because it’s free”
...

If God is omnipotent and omniscient too,
That means he is all powerful and can see all around.

How come he never noticed what is plain to me and you.
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“Here they come”, the young nurse shouts. “Well, some of them”, she sighs.
The ambulance driver then declares, “Them’s all mad them that flys”.

The driver, a conshie from Gloucester, and the nurse, just twenty, from Leeds.
...

My mum and dad were Tories but the rest of the family reds.
Not Stalinists or Leninists just fair and square in their heads

The Internationale in three languages heartily sung.
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Little Richard bounced on stage
By the Light of the Silvery Moon
And Baby Face and Lucille
His set over too soon
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At half past three I staggered out of The Criterion
As a newt and homeless, with all my money gone.
Hessle Road so busy, and always smelled of cod.
There stood the lollipop man, nine years older than god.
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“I do not know you very well”
She said on one of my trips.
The idea, forced into her mind,
Brought a tremor to my lips.
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The Tour.
Everley Bros, Bo Diddley, Little Richard
And an opening band called The Rolling Stones.
The Place.
...

Part One.
Woke up seven thirty, thought I had a cold.
Pat said “No dear. You’re just getting old.
Any way, try Lemsip, for the lumps in your head”.
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To own a human like they do
Food on demand and milk poured too

Stretching and preening cause whoops of delight
...

I smoke.
And if the insults
rained on me had been
directed at a black man
...