
Poems - a selection of extracts
The sun came out today
The sun came out today
Illuminating every leaf and blade
Insects buzzed through the floating dust
And bending petals stretched out in the welcome rays
And cast warm shadows through the light
The sun didn’t show today
Heavy heads stared down at the ground
Huddled shut and swaying in the draft
Casting no shadows from the thin grey light to the frozen ground
Waiting and shivering for something to change
The sun didn’t show today and neither did you
HOWL2012 - abridged [extract]
I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by greed laziness apathy, rolling drunk in the streets while their brothers were ordered to invade sovereign states to secure the drug of developed nations, to proclaim democracy, equality and self-determination,
I saw the bodies of generations destroyed by warfare, suicide bombers, genocide, collateral damage, friendly fire, pre-emptive strikes, slaughtered by blind, greed-fundamentalism-and pride, piled up body bags in anticipation of the avoidable loss, women and children not spared, condemned to participate by equality and coercion,
I saw stricken seabirds greased and feeble, the last of species expire, rising floods and withering crops, man’s vicious footprint across his inheritance,
I saw the peaceful protests of those who identified the greed with the destruction, beaten by those sworn to protect and serve, protests hijacked by anarchy and destruction, and I saw tsunamis of the will overpowering oppression,
I saw the best lives of my generation strung out on credit, their investments gambled by the bonus boys, gambled over and over, double or nothing always ending in nothing, who blamed Wall Street and the euro-zone for their collapsed lifestyle when the cheque bounced back into their dirty hands, dirty with the sweat of poverty in foreign lands, where you could and you would refuse to work, in conditions you chose not to know, your excuse not to care, (continues)
asthma [extract]
. . .
the tyrant sits on my chest laughing
a straitjacket holds me from striking out
my mouth is open but his hand is on my throat
my wooden lungs creak, dry and splintering (continues)
The Earth Turns [extract]
the earth turns towards the sun
edge of light rolling over mountains and seas
a wave of awakening
early with anticipation
or staggered late behind the dawn,
spinning slowly
warming then cooling
one seasonal pole missing out each turn
the other always in view
tilted towards our star
slipping back over the horizon at the equinox, (continues)
Surrendered Judgement [extract]
It's too late to care after all these years
washing your hands with crocodile tears
what was he to you, this King of the Jews ?
an obvious pardon, but aggravation for you
release Barabbas roared the crowd
and history scored your cowardice loud
an act of indecision we still remember
a template for judgment to surrender:
clean air targets for all to meet
car-makers publicise all complete
but leave us breathless in the streets
exhausted by emission cheats
. . .
children meet your idols, secret games in the night
protection for our famous names, hiding in plain sight
dirty hands giving treats
wipe them clean on hospital sheets
favoured access, to young and new
the rich and famous, alone with you
stealing your youth with glamour and silence
our establishment condones the betrayal and violence
carbon clouding up the air, cooking up creation
vote denial and leave it for, the next generation
and imprecise science is just an excuse
to carry on, with the abuse
(continues)