1059 - Up early

So short of sleep, I went to work today
The guy below was singing, half-seven
Before that I’d been woken up by… Hey!
Wheelie bins being dragged at 7.15?
What gives? Got up and went in. Yes, went in
But not much done, well, unsurprisingly
A works do, with beer and a meal looming
Blokes at one end, the girls all separately
But later, managed to talk to Tracey
While eyeing up the girls in the bar; they
Had legs to die for. Wasted, wasted on
Whoever they were with, temporarily
The rain eased off, the sun came out to play
And in the end it was a nice evening
Wed 29 July 2009

1051 - Summer in Manchester

The summer drags on… The late light’s okay
But every day it rains. In Manchester!!
I sound surprised. I shouldn’t feel that way
Because rain’s ever-present through the year
In Britain, specially in northern areas
Got some things done at work, drafting guidance
And afterwards, a Chinese and some beers
So much meat eaten lately, and a chance
To stuff myself with mushrooms more than once
I’m back home now and it’s too late to play
Music; a pint of Wobbly Bob beer
Has put paid to my muse: she’s gone to France
Or maybe Mars or Venus. The dark grey
Of nightfall approaches, as I sit here
Tue 21 July 2009

1043 - In Ireland 5 - Banter near Bantry

Stayed up listening to music and talking
And life plans and whatnot and feeling high
At the way my Irish trip was ending
With my music being liked by Tor and Ky
And invitations to return, to try
Recording my songs with good production
And also, and this could be fun for me
Taking part in group improvisation
Slept on the sofa at DarkWorld.com
Only a short sleep, second night running
Croissant for breakfast; Ky was looking tired
She had some work. Andy and me went down
To Durrus for a pint and sandwich. Things
Have ended up all right, then, finally
Mon 13 July 2009

1040 - In Ireland 2 - Galway, Clare and Kerry

Ireland, day two - things went somewhat smoother
No large losses of money, cock-ups, stress
There is one thing that’s still crap, however
And that was the grand old Irish rain. Yes!
It never lets you down. It fell like piss
So I sat in the car in Ballyvaughan,
North County Clare, with my second breakfast
Of chicken and chips (wedges, as they’re known)
And then did my best to see The Burren
And the Cliffs of Moher in the shit weather
Drowned ratdom gets boring, I must confess
So, drove south: Spanish Point, Ennis, the town
Of Limerick on the wide Shannon River
On through Adare, to Killarney, and rest!
Fri 10 July 2009

1034 - 23rd anniversary

Just realised: today’s the twenty-third
Anniversary of my first wedding
And to make this realisation weird
Today I went round hers; we sat talking
About our two kids, then spent time looking
At our diets, and how healthy they are
On the Tesco website, and exploring
What could be done on her i-Phone; wonder
Of modern gadgetry. To Kylyra
I re-sent backing tracks, minus the words
Which I’ll deliver when I’m there, gigging.
Briefly saw Josie, then home, where I saw
More Monty Python sketches; the absurd
Aspects of Britishness got a kicking
Sat 4 July 2009

1025 - Look at last night

Last night went quite well; I did my three songs
Or rather, a short medley of the three
And then my poem. I didn't have long
Just 5 minutes had been given to me
Not many there,as far as I could see
Apart from performers, such as the band
Who turned up without amps, saved luckily
By Rob Goodier, who had two there on hand!
As usual, things did not quite go as planned
Refreshment-wise, things had turned out all wrong
Drove to buy cakes with Alex hurriedly
Then straight on stage, Rob's guitar in my hand
With which I did quite well, with my three songs
And at half-time, handed out my CD!
Thur 25 June 2009

983 - Giggin' in Wigan 2

Tonight I shall be giggin' in Wigan
Well, okay, it's just an open-mike night
Before that, hopefully, I'll be eatin'
With Christine and Carole, something quite light
In a Wigan cafe before the flight
To the Tudor House Hotel for the show
Two nights ago, sober, managed to write
A longish new poem I hope will go
Down well like the food. Before all that, though
I must plough through some work that's been pilin'
Up on my desk. With any luck I might
Actually get some of it done, the flow
Of emails usually slowing me, and then
Leave work early for Wigan poetry night
Thur 14 May 2009

974 - Plastered in Paris 2

Un autre jour à Paris: Sainte-Chappelle
A fuckin’ long queue, mais it was worthwhile
Those stained-glass fenêtres: sensationelles!
Un peut de shopping, home for a piss, then we’ll
Go for a falafel, served with a smile
Fed les pigeons; on est allé au Musée
Carnavalet, where luckily twas real
Easy a prendre des photos, regarder
Le lit de Proust. Turned into a good day
Despite the clouds. I was OK, but Pearl
Was fatiguée. Walked over to the Ile
De la Cité, ou Pearl est occupée
Dans son restaurant. I thought, fuckin’ ell
What to do next? Qu’est-ce que c’est difficile
Tue 5 May 2009

952 - Spring morning

Easter is over, and now life goes on
The leaves are on the trees, they are a sign
Of marching time, of time starting to run
Of things reaching their peak as nature climbs
And reaches with green fingers for sunshine
As glimpsed through bedroom windows at morning
From gently rustling sheets at breakfast time
The garden birds have been serenading
For hours, their eyes and thoughts now returning
To what may be found down there on the lawn
Breakfast is over, washing’s on the line
Gently swaying, thoughtlessly responding
To nature’s ways with regular rhythm
As the wind plays that old tune one more time
Mon 13 Apr 2009

942 - Sweet tongues

This Belgian beer’s good stuff, I sleep real good
Each morning, drifting in and out I go
Finally, out of bed and down the road
I walk, listening to rock, soul and disco
Discussing work, chatting and reading through
Today’s emails, getting quite a lot done
Refreshed in body and mind, the window
Lets in the misty morning breeze, but come
Lunchtime the cool mist is replaced by sun
Blue skies again to sweeten my workload
Made sweeter still by knowing what I know
About you so far, telling everyone
Tonight’s the night we eat our fill, the food
Will be so sweet…Shame that I’ll have to go….
Fri 3 Apr 2009

940 - Lazy ways

I rolled over in bed at half-past eight
And tried to doze off again, but couldn’t
Wednesday mornings are so noisy; I hate
The bin emptying racket that doesn’t
Allow lie-ins. And so I had to hunt
For wakefulness for another half-hour
Till I got up; admittedly, this meant
I was sleepy at work, not at top power
Smokin chicken soup and bread for lunch - wow
Then saw ‘The Damned United’ - celebrate
Derby’s ’72 title that went
To the wire, but we beat Leeds, and how!
Then home to watch England-Ukraine, a late
Chat to my new love, and now the day’s spent
Wed 1 Apr 2009

939 - The credit munch

I love the credit munch - that's where you get
Two meals for the price of one all over
The restaurant chains. Today we enjoyed it
Downing the big soup at Wagamama
Plus two cups of tea: under a fiver
There's £10 Favourites at Pizza Express
Two courses and a glass of wine is their
Current offer, but go quickly in case
The offer's gone before you've stuffed your face
Gourmet Burger Kitchen: wrote about that
I've got vouchers for Zizzi and Strada
And also Cafe Rouge, although that place
Can be slow to serve. But try not to get
Food on your white shirt like I did earlier!
Tue 31 Mar 2009

936 - No rest for the wicked

The day began round her house, then taxi
Home for a few hours’ rest, then collect parcel
Of Kubrick DVDs, then, shocked to see
How much brick dust there was, cleared up that hell
Under the rug in the spare bedroom: well,
Louis is sleeping there tonight. Breakfast,
Then off to see Josie, who did real well
On her scooter, and made sure not to waste
My two-for-one voucher, a cheap repast
At Gourmet Burger Kitchen, her and me
No time for catching up on sleep; pressed bell
On Louis’ door in Burnage, and real fast
We got the evening’s food from Sainsburys
Watched The Shining, talked scripts and how they sell
Sat 28 Mar 2009

915 - No cider with Josie

Slept well and got up about nine, breakfast
The usual orange juice and pills, cereal
And then a shave, a shower, fresh clothes; aghast
At the state of my hair, slapped on some gel
Looked at The Beeb’s Writers’ Room for intel
About what they go for with sitcom plots
And characters must seem real; show, not tell
And other rules…Obey, or lose your slots
Took Josie to Alderley to take shots
Of her on a tank, but it had got lost
No police car or fire engine either… Well,
We went to Gourmet Burger Kitchen, hot
On the High Street right now; then, shopping. Last
Was the park. Evening at home (musical)
Sat 7 Mar 2009

912 - Counting on my fish fingers

Fish fingers are sizzling in the oven
The peas are boiling away in the pan
The potato in the microwave’s done
Time to eat, now I’ve done all that I can
Finished my World At War track, and I am
Well under way, ‘High Over Liverpool’
Too tired, too late to sing it again, Sam
So I’ll do that tomorrow. It’s been cool
Considering I was too much a fool
Last night, with the bedroom window open
Yet again, woken by that damn siren
A loud reveille at 6 am. Cruel
But if this continues, we must complain
I need my beauty sleep to dream and plan
Wed 4 Mar 2009

902 - At war with music and time

A long hard day recording my war song
Who said music was fun? He should be shot
I’ve worked so hard and I have worked so long
I’ve missed my tea and dinner, can’t have hot
Food now, it’s too late. I even forgot
To ring my daughter, simply had no chance
Poor thing, I hope she knows, love her a lot
No time even for any new romance
Though someone out there wants us to make plans
I’m writing this near midnight, as I bung
Two sandwiches in my trap and then blot
Out thoughts of work tomorrow with a man’s
TV diet of war films - is that wrong?
Who knows, but who cares? I don’t care a jot!
Sun 22 Feb 2009

897 - Snippets of my day

Another day at work but not much done
Always distracted by emails, chatting,
Brewing up, answering calls on the phone
Writing to-do lists, another meeting
Left early, worried about battling
The rush hour going south from Manchester
Made worse by roadworks, soothed by listening
To gospel. (Was amazed by a builder
This morning, mobile held up to his ear
While standing by a pneumatic drill. Dumb!
But then they don’t get prizes for thinking)
Collected little J, then big sister
P and her mother V, then I drove on
To Pizza Express for serious eating…!
Tue 17 Feb 2009

891 - Music night at the Stubbing Wharf, Hebden Bridge

You’ll see me at the very end table
On the left, by the bar, scribbling these lines
I’ll try and finish them if I’m able
Before we meet for the very first time
One pint of Black Sheep, then I’m afraid I’m
On coffee or soft drinks, but that’s okay
I’m seeing you at last, not before time
I wonder what we’ll both think of to say
Small talk, maybe some laughs - we’ll soon see, eh?
That smell of food is most delectable
Though fading, as some diners have now dined
And are now disappearing on their way
Into the Yorkshire hills of Hughes’ fable
Leaving the musicians to sing and rhyme
Wed 11 Feb 2009

888 - Portrait of the artist as a knackered father

Ah, steak and ale pie at the County pub
After a frolic at Wacky Warehouse
Read ‘Crime and Punishment,’ then ate my grub
Along with young Josie who when she chose
Had plumped for burger. By that time the queues
Had gone and we got served quick. Then we nipped
To Wilmslow with her scooter, as the freeze
Continued to rain snowflakes, winter-gripped
Soon afterwards, driving away, I pipped
My horn, waved goodbye, headed to the hub
Of all my arty solo endeavours
Where at least TV channels won’t get flipped
By anyone but me, and I can scrub
All tasks, all art, and enjoy mental freeze
Sun 8 Feb 2009

887 - Hard at play

Started off the day with a long lie-in
After last night’s Thai meal and heavy drink
Session, mixing beer, red wine, even gin
Though not in the same glass. Was hard to think
Or even talk towards the end; you sink
Into a vegetative state sometimes
But I ate everything that they could bring
Plate after plate went in with no problems
From my recently very painful gums
So I didn’t get up till eleven
Well-rested after my four hundred winks
Ready for all my creative attempts
First, sitcom (episode two) finishing
Then practice at music home recording
Sat 7 Feb 2009