1052 - Monsoon gone soon?

The dark monsoon season soon seems endless
The dark mongoose is loose about this house
The dark mongrel smells terrible, noseless
The dark monkey sees nothing; he is wise
The dark shadows grow; groaning phantoms rouse
The dark madhouse lets loose all its MPs
The dark padlock shuts in my sluttish mouse
The dark sad dock, empty but for the breeze
The dark late afternoon and evening freeze
The dark gate swings; blackbird sings my distress
The dark mate, vanished; panic, self-abuse
The dark fate waits for an end to journeys
The dark sonnet, on its fourteen-line verse
The dark swan on its sunless river cruise
Wed 22 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

1049 - Manchester monsoon

Today I hoped we’d see the Festival
Of Caribbean Culture in Moss Side
But that plan was scuppered as the rain fell
We ate lunch and kept an eye on outside
Torrential downpours, they became our guide
So we went to the pictures (in 3-D!!)
Wearing ‘sunglasses’ in the dark, inside
I’ve not done that since I was height of knee
To a grasshopper. After ‘Ice Age 3’ -
Though too late - the weather then turned out well
Someone said, “Don’t wear those glasses outside!”
Drove down to Wilmslow to drop off Josie
Right now, after those sweets, I still feel full
Might do more music next, if not too tired
Sun 19 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

1031 - Summer rain

A hot day, once more with heavy showers
How long till flood reports come flooding in?
Meanwhile my net connection’s lost its power
I can’t post blogs or do my emailing
I put my Irish musical backing
On a CD and took it round Louis’
And emailed the tracks from there: here’s hoping
Ky gets them in the form of MP3s
I sacrificed Hebden to finish these
Out Thursday and Friday, so few free hours
Tomorrow it’s the slam competition
Friday, the school barbie. Eight burgers please!
They say that Walsh will win the slam, so there’s
My prediction… but upsets have been known…
Wed 1 July 2009

1030 - 24 hours in Salford and Bolton

Last night Andy came round with Soundforge 5
We picked up Rachel en route to Bolton
The writers’ group met, consisting of five
Sat out the back of the Hen & Chickens
One exercise: to draw inspiration
From one of Gary’s books, brought in a bag
My book was ‘Death’s Eye’ (the explanation
For yesterday’s sonnet). I mustn’t brag
But I worked hard today. It was a drag
How the rain fell. Thought I wouldn’t survive
The walk home; thought I’d end up all sodden
My office wear reduced to soaking rags
But I borrowed an umbrella at five-
Past five, and walked home under its protection
Tue 30 June 2009

1017 - Precipitation observation

A perfect grey sky with no chink of blue
Refreshing rain blown sideways by the wind
A lovely walk home to look forward to
Wet clothes are something that I never mind!
To be downhearted about rain is blind
We need it, in the right amount, of course
As we suck the earth dry, the rain's our friend
Restoring, and obeying nature's laws
As we break ours, polluting without pause
Clean gutters, clean my dirty car, won't you
Clean landfill sites, and nuclear waste, and bins
Wash away all we produce without cause
And this time, build no ark to start anew
Or else put better-behaved people in!
Wed 17 June 2009

1005 - Dark June 2

The sky darkens now that summer is here
This is the season of disappointment
Hopes dashed with each raindrop that splashes clear
Onto the piss and vomit-stained pavement
We cannot say this summer rain's recent
It seems to be the mainstream, quite the norm
Old dreams of lazy hazy days are spent
The plain reality's this thunderstorm
Imprisoning me here; I can't go home
Just yet or my face will be wet with tears
From the heavens above, from where love's sent
Running in dirty streams down drains to form
Subterranean rivers; disappear
To sea with all our dreams, our innocence
Fri 5 June 2009

979 - Crazy Sunday

A lovely day, though cloud-covered and wet
Caught up on sleep, radio playing low
Cleaned that big dusty carpet in my flat
Swept floors, then phoned my girl. Now, where to go?
She drove north on the ring road, till below
We saw the hills near Bury, and turned off
Ramsbottom was the destination; though
It rained, we shopped, we had some food, we laughed
She always finds antique shops, likes old stuff
Then J came back to my newly-cleaned flat
It was nice to be together once more
Off she went in her car: bye-bye, my love!
Then visited two friends, two pleasant chats
Now home again, work looms once more. Oh no!
Sun 10 May 2009

933 - Hole in my shoe

A hole in my shoe's letting in water
But my new shoes cannot be worn because
When I last wore them, I got a blister
And that's why I'm still wearing my old shoes
The weather forecast's given me the blues
More rainfall coming than on plains in Spain
But what is to be done? I cannot choose
Between wet socks or this severe foot pain
Oh cobblers! I can’t hobble on, it's plain
Planning's afoot - already a plaster
Is fixed on my blister, so don't accuse
Me of dragging my feet. My sole complaint
Is I'm sick of wet socks. Oh, reporter
Please bring me sunshine for my soaking toes
Wed 25 Mar 2009

867 - Not yet home, but dry

Yesterday began sunny, but the grey
Took over gradually, till the cats
And dogs fell torrentially, but while they
All puddled Piccadilly, we two sat
Talking of dreams and money, hours of chat
Touching gently through story, opinion
And stolen glances only, or to pat
Each others’ hands quite quickly, touching on
Some point we both found funny, gentleman
And his soon-to-be lady, till the way
Was clear for us to see, that this was that
Fortunate opportunity, and on
We walked to Piccadilly, and away
Went rain, unnecessary brollies, hats
Sun 18 Jan 2009

831 - Rainy Saturday fun

Got up, cleaned the flat, then did ironing
While listening to Love and to Roxy
I then drove up to Oldham, collecting
My friend, then ate at Franky and Benny
Which one, you ask? The one at Salford Quay
Too late for brunch, I chose the chicken wings
The barbecue sauce was a bit spicy
She had pizza, not eating everything
We went online at my place, the dating
Website was a bit shite, but interesting
Then watched some films. Hugh Grant danced so badly
But funnily, and did you know he sings?
Then a film about the shy geek winning
The girl. Maybe this could happen to me
Sat 13 Dec 2008

781 - The sky, the sky

Oh why oh why is the sky quite so high
And why, when I'm inside, why is it blue
Why are the clouds so sad, why do they cry
When I walk into town to meet with you
If it rains on me once more, I may sue
If Travis didn't do so previously
I don't want to be a hoodie, thank you
So then, why does it always rain on me
Umbrellas, they are all far too flimsy
You're liable to poke one in the eye
People still hold them up in tunnels, too
Climate change ain’t the point of this whimsy
It never rains but it pours when I'm nigh
So that’s why rain's the symbol of us two
Fri 24 Oct 2008

709 - Giant washout

Yesterday, sunshine, showers, sea and surf
Splashed in the open-air pool in the rain
Then Durdle Door and the cove at Lulworth
Stood on toe-splitting stones - Oh God, the pain! -
My daughter on my back, we played again
We waded into waves of deep blue-green
And drove and wove down dense green country lane
What a contrast to how today has been!
The driving rain meant we drove ourselves clean
Around the bend, our dreams brought down to earth
The rain from Dorset to Devon’s to blame
Cerne Abbas Giant, too wet to be seen
Likewise ‘white’ horse at Osmington, the turf
Green, the horse brown, its course drowned. Down the drain…
Wed 13 Aug 2008

708 - Rain rain don't go away

Sunshine and showers, from morning till night
Make pretty flowers, bright green blades of grass
The happy faces when the sun shines bright
The empty places when it rains at last
The summer’s nearly over, nearly past
We’re under the weather, we’re really sad
We’re flying far away, we’re spending fast
We’re lying there today, splendidly glad
We don’t like sunshine and showers, they’re bad
We only like sunshine, so that we might
Do nothing for two weeks… Hey, what a blast
Just lying on a beach, what fun we’ve had
No water needed, alcohol’s all right
Still, nature’s feeding on rainfall’s cool splash
Tue 12 Aug 2008

707 - I want to go in the pool

Today we hardly got out of the car
Driving through Poole, through Sandbanks and Bournemouth
Then ever eastwards, motoring as far
As Lymington and Milford, a mere breath
Of sea breeze from those white cliffs out of reach
But as I see the Needles with lighthouse
I get needled and wheedled; that will teach
Me to drive so far. Quiet as a mouse
I took the ear-bashing, and just like Faust
Made a pact with the devil: the outdoor
Pool is tomorrow’s treat… I’ll catch my death
Of cold to keep li’l un happy. Showers
May fall on our heads as we splash, but our
Girl’s ambition will be met, sure enough!
Mon 11 Aug 2008

705 - Puddletown blues

Been raining constantly today, people
All walking round in raincoats and wellies
The roads to Poole and Bournemouth were all full
As far away as Dorchester with these
Forsaken four-by-fours bound for the sea-
Side paradise of southern English squall
In that direction we would find no peace
We cut through country lanes, Hardy and all
Past Tincleton and Bovington, to Wool
Past Wareham (walled town), then the road to Poole
Where I’m back down to the level of cheese
And traffic jam. Terrific. Why don’t all
These bad day-tripping tourists get the hell
Out of here? Sod off on a plane to Greece!
Sat 9 Aug 2008

685 - Barbecue blues

Been to a barbecue, now I’m so full
I’ve actually had to undo my belt
My bloated belly hurts; so regretful
About my gluttony. This sin was spelt
Out long ago, but resistance can melt
When faced with plates of burgers and chicken
And for the last few hours I have felt
The punishment with this pain that I’m in
Still, I suppose it’s not the worst such sin
I only hurt myself, not the people
Around me. As the rain began to pelt
We all had to shelter in the kitchen
Then, back outside, we shivered in each lull
Between brief sunny spells. But oh, this guilt…
Sun 20 July 2008

674 - Drowned rat

Before the rain fell down on me I looked
Okay but now my hair’s a little flat
Before the rain fell down on me and cooked
My goose, it was loose, now a welcome mat
Outside the rugby changing rooms shares that
Appearance with my barnet. Tarnished, wet
Bedraggled, straggling like spaghetti spat
From some drunk mouth, gone south and never ate
Before the rain fell down on me I met
You and your friends, but now tend my regret
As I let the drops fall and just get fucked
As bus stops call - Please shelter here! - no hat
Or even a hood would be good to get
Let all the rain fall down on me, crown struck
From head, hair stuck down, clownish, a drowned rat
Wed 9 July 2008