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

1019 - Spiteful Turkish delight

The Turkish woman’s been quiet lately
I used to hear her come most every night
And sometimes in the afternoon, loudly
But lately this loud woman’s been so quiet
Occasionally I hear sounds of a fight
But only using words, and then silence
Her days of fun and sex gone, now polite
As neighbour could be, now all reticence
The benefits for me have been immense
Because, unlike before, I sleep easy
Mind you, I still wake up when it gets light
Noise from the flat below invades my sense
The Turkish woman’s got a friend round, see
Their female laughter may just contain spite
Fri 19 June 2009

990 - Quantum sleep

A good night’s sleep, and I feel right as rain
Well, maybe not quite, more like morning dew
At least there’s dampness in the air, my veins
Are slowly flowing once again, thank you
Thank who? The great god of sleep, that is who
Hypnos, by name, from the Greek pantheon
Has helped my health and by stealth let me do
Normal things like going to work again
And though I’m short on energy, I’ve done
Just that. Soon, I’ll drive down to Josephine
Tonight at school, I’ll get her in the queue
For all-important piano tuition
Something I wish I’d had. It’s such a shame
Cos playing with both hands is hard to do
Thur 21 May 2009

965 - Messing about on or near the river

I drifted on the waves of sleep till nine
Or half-past, at half-mast my wakefulness
Landlubber scrubbing floors to make them shine
Removing mould from black-stained walls, real mess
Flat sparkles like a yacht off Shoeburyness
Flat anchored near the banks of the Irwell
Except when earthquakes strike, no seasickness
But when they do strike like storms, who can tell?
Drove out to Lymm later, clanging church bell
Calls drowners to be saved, throws out a line
Canal barges bob gently, free from stress
Crossed and recrossed the Mersey by car, sailed
Through Partington, Carrington, Sale, to wind
Our mast down in the garden’s peacefulness
Sun 26 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

898 - Putting it off again

Off work today, but short on energy
Because of online chatting late last night
Breakfasted while watching war DVD
And Jeremy Kyle (unmissable sight)
Whenever I’m off, I enjoy the plight
Of chavs giving abuse, getting abuse
Although to some, to say so isn’t right
Maybe they’d like to live next to such crews
And hear their late night arguments and screws
Finished episode three of comedy
Since then, not done much, cause I couldn’t fight
Tiredness and laziness… Oui, je m’accuse!
But now, after a nap, it’s time for me
To practice the two songs I’ll sing tonight
Wed 18 Feb 2009

883 - Lying to myself

I don’t make my bed, but I lie in it
It’s cosy and warm, a little noisy
My face on the pillow dribbles its spit
The digital clock says it’s half-past three
The night’s half-gone; not lonely, just sleepy
As flakes fall off and float onto the floor
Fresh skin metamorphosed to dust bunny
So painlessly done, I sleep on once more
Dreams undisturbed till I wake, and then for
A few seconds, a flashback to my split
From daytime’s fate to night-time’s fantasy
Where it belongs, a quasi-heavenly bore
Comfortable padded cell to self-restrict
Resisting unpredictability
Tue 3 Feb 2009

851 - From dusk 'til dawn

Are the folks in the flat below human?
They go to bed late, make love about 3
But strangest of all, get up at seven
Or even earlier. It puzzles me
(And disturbs my sleep…) The tension can be
So bad sometimes that even when I’m whacked
I lie there, eyes aching, clock-watching. He
Makes no noise when they shag. Has he awaked
Her or is she asleep? The mattress creaked
But nothing else. On other nights you can
Hear her a mile off, moaning, ecstasy
For peeping toms, maybe, but it’s a fact
I’d far rather have peaceful slumbers than
These rings under my eyes, this lethargy
Fri 2 Jan 2009

834 - Account of a day off work

The neighbours seemed to shag three times last night
Or maybe just three attacks of bedbugs
That made the mattress shake and creak; all quiet
Voicewise, though - no female moans reached my lugs
Despite these interruptions, aural tugs
From my own Land of Nod, I slept quite well
Got up at nine-twenty and had some glugs
Of juice, turned on TV, watched Jeremy Kyle
Exposing and exploiting chavs a while
I shaved, washed, dyed my hair, the sky less bright
As noon drew on; played swing, including Duke’s
And Artie Shaw’s top tunes. Can nearly tell
Where notes are on guitar with eyes shut tight
Then collected son from London uni digs
Tue 16 Dec 2008

802 - In bed at twilight

Just two hours’ sleep for meeting day two
After an all night drink and chat session
In pub, restaurant and hotel bar, with new
Gossip and old work worries all touched on
I couldn’t sleep on the train so upon
Returning home I flopped onto the bed
Barely the energy to undress from
Work clothes. Lay there, feeling pulse in my head
Throbbing as though I was running ahead
Of the pack up some hillside I used to
Race up some years ago (I never won)
Two hours I lay as darkness slowly spread
But not to my eyes as I thought of you
Counting minutes till solitude is gone
Fri 14 Nov 2008

729 - Upstairs, downstairs

I woke last night thinking, ‘It’s an earthquake!’
But then I relaxed momentarily
Realising the reason. ‘Ah, my bed shakes
Because of nocturnal activity
In the bedroom below. Though quietly
They go about their business; no moaning
Or yelping; conscious that all sounds can be
Heard above or below, and complaining
Would occur if they were both exclaiming;
Nevertheless, this couple’s great mistake,’
I continued to muse, most shakenly,
‘Is in their absent-minded neglecting
To shift their bed away from the wall. Make
A gap, and we can all sleep peacefully!’
Tue 2 Sep 2008

348 - Last night some wine and music, but the sleep

Last night some wine and music, but the sleep
Was in such short supply: why, I don’t know;
I think a drink does help me sink and keep
Asleep for a while; it disturbs the flow
After a few hours, though: I wake for no
Apparent reason, frustrated and tired.
Today I’ve been busy down in Wilmslow,
In the library, and getting attired
For next week’s holiday, and then perspired
In my wife’s overheated home. This steep
Temperature rise is hard to undergo;
For cooler climes I think I must be wired.
I’m writing this with my shirt off, and deep
Desire to get it done and hit pillow.
Sat 18 Aug 2007

332 - Aching with sleeplessness, I type this now

Aching with sleeplessness, I type this now
Before having to go to work, meetings
Already arranged which I won’t allow,
And they wouldn’t like, me to miss. The things
We have to do for money. The phone rings
For the second day at seven thirty:
Who keeps ringing me in early mornings
Like this? Last night somebody annoyed me
By walking round the bedroom below; she
Had high heels on. By half one the old cow
Annoyed me so much that my old bed springs
Sprung me out of bed; no sleep - too angry.
I read Bill Bryson till four. At eight, how
Loud these builders, shouts and machine engines.
Thur 2 Aug 2007

306 - A good night's sleep, broken by aughter's cries

A good night’s sleep, broken by daughter’s cries
(But nothing serious) at sister’s place;
The energy a good night’s sleep supplies
Is such a welcome gift in every case.
The South Wales sun showed its shy morning face
As we drove the wrong way into the hills,
Then turned around and sped westward, disgrace
Of poor map-reading added to my ills.
Maybe it was the numerous refills
Of beer the night before that slowed my eyes?
We drove all around South West Wales at pace,
To Tenby, Caldey Island, two castles.
Discovering new places is the prize;
Renewing childhood’s world-loving embrace.
Sat 7 July 2007

234 - A speck of dust upon a speck of dust

A speck of dust upon a speck of dust
Rode slowly in the sunlight round the room,
Along with countless others that were brushed
By Adam’s wife, so handy with the broom.
Her man sat there and tended to assume
That glittering display was for his sake;
Those winking orbs that twirled through the vacuum
Did so for his eyes only, while awake.
But dust just doesn’t care if senses make
Sense of the senseless or if they are hushed
By sleep or death. His eyes, long shut in tomb,
See no more golden stardust, cause no ache
For human acts of creation, no lust.
But all, yes all, continues since his doom.
Thur 26 Apr 2007

195 - Great swathes of time reduced to nothing when

Great swathes of time reduced to nothing when
They’re spent asleep, in the office, or in
Some humdrum ho hum tedium again,
Some home scene has-been routine assassin
Of ambition, anodyne medicine
For achievement’s bereavement, head in sand
Ostrich approach, caustic reproach to sin
Of pride, success’ suicide, a planned
Retreat, retrenchment of resource, a bland
Defeat, deceitfully described descent
Into decent and peaceful pieces. Bin
Those schemes and dreams and themes and all those grand
Theses: all faeces. Flush ’em down the bend,
Wash hands of truth, watch washing machine spin.
Sun 18 Mar 2007

172 - At 4am you wake from wine-dark sleep

At 4am you wake from wine-dark sleep,
The usual dreams of sexual fulfilment
Erupt, then interrupted. Makes you weep.
Disrupted bedclothes flung back as you went
Feeling your way to where a penny’s spent.
You’re in there and your urine’s in the bowl,
The wine turned back to water, now hell-bent,
While you tiptoe to kitchen like you stole
Something. But all you’re after is a whole
Glass of cold water. Feel refreshment seep
In life-restoring drops so heaven-sent
Your body becomes a praise-giving soul
That prayed for rain when rivers ran less deep
And now sends thanks up to the firmament.
Fri 23 Feb 2007

123 - If you sleep in a strange bed you will get

If you sleep in a strange bed you will get
All kinds of things, including a bad back,
Like I did last night at the clinic; yet
I’m getting paid for it - yes, quite a stack.
Okay, I’ve had to leave off booze and cigs,
And poppy seeds, and grapefruit, and caffeine,
While testing these painkillers. Guinea-pigs
We are, but show the money and we’re keen.
I must’ve been high for twenty-four hours,
But now I’m glad to have faculties back.
It sucks you dry, abilities and powers
All dimmed, your very thought processes slack.
I became a horny vegetable -
Not something that’s really acceptable…!
Fri 5 Jan 2007

88 - Hey ho, high low, who the hell needs to sleep?

Hey ho, high low, who the hell needs to sleep?
Ping pong, bling blong, I don’t need it no more.
Sing song, ding dong, noise rises through the floor.
Hey ho, high low, who the hell needs to sleep?
Flip flop, drip drop, don’t need to say good night.
Blink blank, drink drank, don’t need to close my eyes.
Clink clank, sink sank, don’t even feel surprise.
Flip flop, drip drop, don’t need to say good night.
Stump stomp, bump bomp, it’s all night party time.
Bish bash, splish splash, why sleep when you can dance?
Mish mash, gnish gnash, days go by in a trance.
Stump stomp, bump bomp, it’s all night party time.
Noise annoys a nosey, so, doh si doh
Bony toe knee knows, you know. Fee fie foe
Fri 1 Dec 2006