1044 - I woke at noon

I woke at noon - that’s a recent record
I’m still offline, though - have been since late June
That makes you feel cut off, as though the cord
That binds you to the world has not been thrown
To you, drifting in the ocean, alone…
Put up my photos on the computer
Watched video that I’d shot of Irish town
And country; a new musical idea
Came to me, but the track hasn’t appeared
Yet, except in my head; hard to record,
Tricky arrangements, more than just a tune
A blend of classical and rock, a near
Nightmare, but hopefully they won’t be bored…
Gave Andy late lift from airport to home
Tue 14 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

1042 - In Ireland 4 - Sheep's Head

I woke up in a red car in Bantry
I walked around the town, around the bay
Around the bend, past the camp of gypsies
The Cork and Kerry Mountains rose and lay
The Pillar of Kilnaruane don’t say
Too much, pointing straight up; no direction
Except the sky. Consulting notes, my way
Led me down Sheep’s Head towards Kilcrohane
Steep green slopes bled into blue sea. Drove down
To a farmhouse called Desmond’s; white, lonely
Where a small, select group had come to play
Tomás spoke verse and Derek actually sang
Drove up and down and around with Andy.
Tor and Ky (musicians) said I could stay
Sunday 12 July 2009

1041 - In Ireland 3 - Cork and Kerry mountains

Torrential rain all day, till around six
Drove from Killarney to good old Bantry
Across the Gap of Dunloe, with its tricks
Of tight bends, sheep and rain, incessantly
Caught sixty winks down by the Bantry quay
And then found Bantry Boys’ Club (That was hard!)
Tonight was a good night for poetry
It seemed to go down well, seems to have scored
A local hit: a succession of bards
Some more traditional, some with music
Even some kids and food, additionally
And afterwards… What happened afterwards?
Oh yeah, more drinks and chat with the poets
Who’d come from all Ireland and overseas
Sat 11 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

1039 - In Ireland - Mayo and Galway

Ireland, day one - a day of big mistakes!
First off, I forgot to pack my glasses!
Not good when I’m driving a hired car. Yikes!
And then, at Liverpool Airport, there is
No BMI Baby check-in, because
My flight’s from Manchester, NOT Liverpool!
My taxi zoomed there (Cost: 50 knickers!)
A late take-off to Knock saved this damn fool!
At Knock Airport the car hire cost a full
Hundred euro more to insure ’gainst breaks
Or pay 300 euro for scratches
No time, or eyesight, to go driving all
Round Mayo. Knock-Tuam-Galway in three shakes
Galway’s always busy; it always is
Thur 9 July 2009

1038 - Bags packed - tomorrow

It’s my last day at work before Ireland
Culminating in a Poetica show
In Central Library, and now that’s done
Tomorrow, pack my bags, and then I’ll go
On foot to Manchester, and wait below
The bus-stop, catch the coach to Liverpool
Airport, and fly to Knock, explore Mayo
Pass briefly through Galway. My schedule’s full
For the next five days over there. Meanwhile
I’m relaxing, now everything’s in hand
I’ve made a checklist I’ll check tomorrow
Morning; for now, I haven’t got the will
To pack my bags. My head is in the sand…
Mañana, mañana, mi amigo…

1032 - Gremins and fools' convention

I’m in a long ‘everything’s going wrong’ spell
Technology, ambitions and all that
I know things can’t always go right, but hell!
Here I am, all alone in a hot flat
My internet connection, the one that
Has served me for three years, seems to be dead
I don’t think it’s my equipment. Been sat
All evening on the phone. One of them said
Something for which I wasn’t quite prepared:
“Buy a new micro filter.” I did. Well,
Still the same: no dial tone. They’ll call back Sat
Evening, or so they said. Yes, I’ve been led
A less than merry dance. Still, I can smell
The Irish fields and their green welcome mat
Thur 2 July 2009

1028 - Sunday, Sunday

Sunday’s here again, scruffy attire
Sunny, mainly hot, and quite a lot done
Another poem soundtrack Kylyra
Will hopefully like over in Ireland
Especially when I read out the lyrics
Live in Bantry in July, lent a hand
By local backing vocalists; the sticks
Will rock that night; it should be a great mix
Of people and of styles. Was phoned by a
Piano teacher: Josie’s lunchtime fun
Starts Monday or Tuesday, with Amy picked
As her playing partner. And then, a choir
Of me, Pearl and Louis sang songs till ten.
Sun 24 June 2009

1001 - Am I dreaming?

Three days of clear blue skies. Is this Britain?
It seems that everything is upside down
And back to front these days. Politicians
Reviled, fraudulent. My face and arms brown
I live within walking distance of town
And go out now and then for a good time
At home the neighbours have all quietened down
And sleep, at last, when I need it, is mine
My mortgage interest’s low, meaning that I’m
Able to afford holidays again
Been to Paris in May, and I’ll have flown
To Ireland, come July; the autumn time
Should see a trip to European lands
It’s mainly good, because my life’s my own
Mon 1 June 2009

998 - Friday afternoon, late spring

I'm lazing on a sunny afternoon
It's a Friday, and I'm in the office
I'll be making my way home very soon
When there will be no more taking the piss
No, then the real work begins. Mustn't miss
The chance to write some poems, maybe plan
A trip to Ireland, maybe even kiss
Guitar or keyboard with my loving hands
There's a call from the life insurance man
Changing to him could pay me to the tune
Of £100 cashback - very nice!
If there are freebies about, I'm a fan!
Meanwhile, and suddenly, it's almost June
Only half a month now till the solstice
Fri 29 May 2009

947 - Life in a day

This little man has had a busy day
Was dreaming about cricket on the beach
And I chased the ball in a lazy way
By driving my car after it, but each
Time I need rest someone always must reach
My eardrums with a shout or song, and so
It proved at 3:15 am, some French
Drunkard woke me up! I drifted back slow
Into a doze, then up at six; you know
I had to catch a train and plane today
To Northern Ireland to see Martin; such
A long meeting, then home. I said I’d go
To Hebden Bridge music night; saw Deb play
Her flute, I sang, and spoke in rhyming speech
Wed 8 Apr 2009

946 - Work, rest and play 2

Early to bed tonight, early to rise
Tomorrow to fly to Belfast Airport
I may not be wealthy, may not be wise
In work and love’s tentacles I am caught
Tie me up, tie me down…I’m watching sport
Man U against Porto, half-time one-all
And after that, Jools Holland, who has brought
The Specials onto his show (Terry Hall?
We’ll see…) I’ve watched a film and now football
And so far the game has been a surprise
Glad no bets placed, or I could have got caught
Once more with my pants down, making fuck all
Up at six tomorrow, up in the skies
A full agenda, given lots of thought
Tue 7 Apr 2009

925 - Paddy's Day Paddy

At work dere was a Paddy’s Day ‘paddy’
Somebody trew a hissy fit, he did
Twas a man of good Oirish stock, Roiley
Boi name, and his behaviour wasn’t good
Just loike a payt bog, he is an old sod…
But never moind, let’s focus on Oireland
De land of leprechauns and basic food
Dere’s been some bad stuff in Nordern Oireland
But de way all condemned dat stuff was grand
De Catlic and de Prods unoited, de
Suspects were raywnded up, and dat was it…
De rugby team treatens a Grand Slam, and
De Celtic Toiger feels a bit quaysy
And dat’s yer Paddy’s Day news. Not so bad…
Tue 17 Mar 2009

890 - Travels in Northern Ireland and northern England

Down by the misty Lagan I wandered
Before the meeting about tax began
People walked over bridges, I wondered
How death had undone so many again
Mist dispersed, snowy hills seen, now and then
Cave Hill supreme, Belfast’s Vesuvius
Up and down May Street where titanic men
Built ships now rotting like them and like us
Big yellow cranes seen from taxi and bus
Back to George Best airport, where I sundered
My brief connection with Northern Ireland
Airborne over the coast, Runcorn-Widnes
Then Bolton, Rochdale, Oldham, snow-covered
Eastern hillscape. South Manchester, touched land
Tue 10 Feb 2009

889 - After flying over the Irish Sea at sunset

I’m in the Crown Liquor Saloon, Belfast
And staying at the famous Europa
I flew over fluffy white clouds so fast
And saw the western horizon redder
And clearer than billions of ancestors
Who never flew, and couldn’t even think
This lofty view existed long before
Life had evolved from mere scum in the sink
Of oceans now gone; no, where is the link
Between view and viewer? The need is past!
Living viewer, superfluous once more
These red sunsets do not need me to bring
My blinking assent to a view that lasts
Beauty does not need life or mind. It’s there…
Mon 9 Feb 2009

230 - Oh Ireland and its people, I love thee

Oh Ireland and its people, I love thee,
Though silent sun above me’s all I’ve known
When I’ve sailed o’er the silver salty sea -
I’ve not been jailed all winter in Athlone.
Oh hills of England, ne’er has heart outgrown
Your thrills; it rings like the bells of Penrith
As the cloud shadows dance on moor and stone -
But all that rain, perchance, I’ll do outwith.
Oh dragon’s lair of Wales, your song and myth
From Brecon fair regales to Pwllheli;
Now I’ll look back till croaking life hath flown -
How fucking soaked I got near Machynlleth.
In short, friend, thou canst not nor ne’er shall see
How shit it is when north wind hits your bone.
Sun 22 Apr 2007

121 - Oh Bay of Naples - azure sky, green sea

Oh Bay of Naples - azure sky, green sea,
O’erlooked by wounded giant vulcan peak -
I fly back to you in my dreams; I seek
Return, a surrender, where’er I be.
Oh Bay of Dublin - cloudy sky, grey sea,
O’erlooked by Wicklow Hills and long-armed Howth -
I sail back to you in my dreams; the growth
Of leisure time’s my scheme, then back I’ll be.
Oh Dame of New York - hold your torch to sea,
And light the way to JFK and Queens -
Downtown, uptown, to all points in-between,
I shall return, so let my promise be.
I’ll recross Mersey, sweet Thames, foggy Tyne,
And also Seine, Barca in Spain, and vine-decked Rhine.
Wed 3 Jan 2007

80 - Today I'm beating my own speed record

Today I’m beating my own speed record.
In twenty minutes’ time, on the TV
Is a programme on Ireland I must see.
By then, this verse must be written and stored!
The BBC are describing the coast
Between Dublin and far Londonderry.
This summer I went there by car ferry
And drove that same route. I could be the host!
Me and Louis had great fun in the sun
(Which doesn’t shine much on the Emerald Isle).
So memories should flood back with a smile
When I sit back and watch, my poetry done.
Twelve minutes have gone by, I’m almost there;
The Giant’s Causeway - smell that salt sea air!
Thur 23 Nov 2006