Biography
I write a sonnet every day about the news, booze, amusing, abusing, losing, snoozing and other stuff that rhymes with that. I do other poetry and the occasional play, short story and novel-attempt, too. I hope to add music to my portfolio soon.
I am based in Salford, only a short walk from Manchester city centre.
Samples
Clones
This is the clone zone
All heads shaved to the bone
Cannon fodder out on loan
Before the roadside bomb has blown
See the bonehead
What the tattoo said
This is the dead zone
This is the clone zone
Sometimes
Some times are hard
like these times
Some times were even harder
like old times
Sometimes we complain
like these times
Some time we become plainer
unlike old times
Not-so-dear prudence
Hello there mate, how are ya? Not seen ya for a while.
What? Do I fancy goin’ somewhere for lunch?
Do I hell! Haven’t you heard of the credit crunch?
I don’t like shelling out
I don’t care if they’re selling out of everything
In the so-called sales
I’d rather spend my summers in Wales
In a tent halfway up Cader Idris
Than help out some other guy’s business
Staying under his roof
Paying for his food
New clothes to look good
Nah, not me!
I’ll have a near-naked lunch
One that’s almost free
One I’ve made myself
Out of Marmite sandwiches and tea
What’s that, mate? Can I give you a lift?
Nah, sorry mate, that car was drivin’ me over a cliff
Who needs a jam-jar?
Get on your bike
You won’t need to pay for gyms
You can kick out the jams
I’m peddling pedals here
It’s the end of expenditure
Here’s the deal, I’ll send it ya
You can’t bank on banks no more
The interest’s higher
In stayin’ sober
You’ll be rollin’ in it
If you don’t get stoned
If you wanna fall asleep prematurely
Do it for free and get yourself healthy
Boogie on down to the allotment
Save your salary, grow some celery
Don’t become a cabbage. Grow your own.
Don’t talk shit, just mix in some manure
Grow your own rhubarb
It’s not a scene for has-beens, so don’t do a runner
It’s where the future lies as you grow old and wise
Let’s not go to San Fran-Tesco’s
Less reasons to go to Morrisons’ Hotel
To hell with their out of town locations
Their car, bus and delivery-truck-friendly situations
Let’s not go to the Trafford Centre for the day
Let’s not blow what’s left of our pay
Let’s not fight our way through
The great tide of shit coming to meet us at it
Let’s not say ‘Get outta my way, or
I’ll hit you with my six carrier bags
Bag bag bag bag bag bag’
Okay, take care, mate
I know you’re gonna hate me
But things have changed a bit lately
Take care now
Take care
Sonnet 754 - Anthology
Reading successful poets’ self-pity -
But then they don’t make much - but if they did
As poets they’d still see skulls and debris -
It spurs me to emulate, lift my lid
Revealing wasp-infested stuff that’s hid
But it’s no different, apart from the art
A vase is a vase, a verse a verse. Bid
For one versus another and then part
With cash, but not much. Say thanks and depart
For they aren’t interested either in me
They teach subservience at schools - extra quid -
Belief systems and false gods that the smart
Materialist must ingest outwardly
Now fashion your passion as instructed
All poems are copyright of the originating author. Permission must be obtained before using or performing others' poems.
Last blog entry
Posted on Monday 5th January 2009 6:36 pm
Israel should not be invading Gaza
But Gaza should not be firing rockets
Israel should not have walled up the frontier
But Arabs should not become terrorists
The west should not have aided Zionists
The Arabs should not be hostile to them
They should not mind their imposed homelessness
Disputes should end over Jerusalem
The Crusades should not have ever been sent
Muslims should not have left Arabia
Christians should not have spread out to the west
Jews should not have had land promised to them
People should not move to land that’s better
They should stay trapped in poor oppressed pockets
Previous: Becoming less like God
View or make comments. (5 comments)
Chris Dawson
Sun 4th Jan 2009 10:00
Absolutely awful Christmas - we've all been ill - including the cat! Mine has settled in to a chest infection - which is hanging on. Bit fed up with it really. Still - the cat seems much improved. Glad you're fine .... you're certainly producing some good work at the moment. Though - as I said - not sure hanging around in graveyards as much as you seem to is a good thing!
I grew up next to a graveyard - my bedroom overlooked it & the St. Mary's Church in Prestwich .... it's the one they nearly always use in Coronation St (the only time I watch it is if I know St Mary's will be on).
Have a good time in London... though I suppose if you are back to work tomorrow it'll be a flying visit? Which uni is he at?
Talk soon,
Cx