One hundred years ago -
Mistrust and suspicion between nations -
Our respective governments decided -
They all had to be tough - stand up and fight -
...
Shorts and t-shirts sit unused
In the bottom of my bedroom drawer.
The bottle of factor fifty suntan lotion-
Sits unopened on the dressing room table.
...
Fare thee well, my old friend.
I've suddenly realised -
I haven't needed you in a long time -
You're part of my life no longer.
...
Mobile phones, Ipads, Thinkpads and Android Tablets.
Text Messages, emails, tweets and Facebook notifications.
Do you ever think that we suffer
From a disease called Communication Over-load?
...
Oh where have we gone wrong in life?
Where have we taken the wrong turn?
Why is that we can no longer -
See the world anew?
...
I blow in from the sea
From far across the deep blue yonder.
Together with all my family
Locked together in a grey-white form,
...
Seven years ago
I sat at this table-
I had dinner with you.
The window behind
...
It is true to say that life goes on,
The wheel keeps turning day after day.
People come and people go, the seasons
Keep on changing - day follows night -
...
Resplendent in standard issue county council yellow,
The road-sweeper pauses on the pavement's edge
With his faithful rubbish cart at his side
And his litter grabbing device poised in hand.
...
My small feet sink into peaty soil,
The purple heather polishes our boots as we walk,
Cocksfoot grass seed and burrs stick to our clothes.
The glorious golden sea of yellow whin bushes
...
January brings the frost and snow they say.
Temperatures dip and pavements slippery underfoot.
New Year's Resolutions planned exercise regimes
Come to a shuddering halt, as we baulk
...
Clear freshwater softly flows
Washing over the rocks and stones.
Last night's heavy rainfall
Still visible, in the risen level.
...
Looking through a cracked window pane,
My view of the world outside obtained -
Framed in a decaying sash window frame.
Across a decaying back yard.
...
Footsteps sink softly in fresh virgin snow.
The dull grey roadway temporarily shining
Brilliant white crystallised water reflecting
The brilliant moonlight shining bright
...
Evening sunlight filters through dusty window panes
Casting soft amber shadows on a dusty floor.
An empty leather armchair casts its long shadow.
The feelings of emptiness fills the void -
...
The birds they are singing in the trees,
The sky is a beautiful clear pale blue.
The snowdrops are in splendid bloom
And all is right with the world,
...
The brilliant white swan gracefully glides
Alongside a river bank resplendid in green.
Sunlight reflects from the mirror-smooth water.
The song-birds relay their merry melodies
...
I feel my bed calling me,
My day's work - done for now.
Rest and sleep beckon -
A welcoming beacon -
...
The light of life is fading from our world.
The summer's long evening sunlight fades,
Softly - darkening into the dark abyss -
Autumn's evening - dull, dark and dreary -
...
The pendulum in the clock of life
Swings it's slow metronomic beat.
The spindles wear and the oil of life thickens -
From life giving lubrication to sticky-deathly sludge
...
Wwi Centenary
One hundred years ago -
Mistrust and suspicion between nations -
Our respective governments decided -
They all had to be tough - stand up and fight -
To make a stand - nobody insulted us -
Our national pride - had to be defended -
At all costs. The politicians went to war -
By sittting behind desks while fast bullets flew.
Lord Kitchener pointed from billboards -
'Your King and Country needs you! ' he barked.
A neatly pressed uniform and trimmed moustache -
He was a man you could trust - a veteran -
Of wars against spear-throwing tribes.
But I suppose they needed educated -
In this superior English way of life.
The young man - the lion - knee deep -
In a Paschendale quagmire.
He was stood up - like lines of tin cans on a wall -
Just to be knocked down.
Glory be, to die for King and Country.
General Haig - the donkey -
Sitting safe and sound behind battle lines - called
'Oh poor chap, now give me a few thousand more -
And we may gain a few dozen yards of Belgian mud.'
Millions -
Of working class young men -
British, French, Russian, Austrian, Italian, German,
American, Belgian, Hungarian - too many nations to list -
Sentenced to death -
By shelling each other.
Yet I doubt they really hated each other.
In their respective countries -
They shared the same dreams - the same plight.
The treadmill of their daily grind - to save a few shillings -
To pay for a few of life's simple treats.
Torn from the prime of life -
Misused and abused-
To defend their politicans honour.
One hundred years on -
What have we learned?