Poetry Blog by mike booth
Finders Keepers
And after last bleak one, I'd like to give some balance with this message of hope and love.
Finders Keepers
by mike booth
Wednesday 4th September 2019 5:53 pm
Hide and Seek
Put fear on the list of things you should lose
With odd socks and gloves and your second best shoes.
Let regret go with burdensome guilt,
Give them away with your second hand quilt.
Composure and pe...
Tuesday 24th March 2020 11:36 pm
Write Hope on Your Arm
Wrote this back in 2018... and its apocalyptic tone feels frighteningly relevant now. But as I said then, I hope we can find morsels of hope and build on love and community in these challenging times...
Write HOPE on your arm!
by mike booth
Saturday 29th September 2018 9:28 am
In the recent storms and typhoons, I heard advice from US police to people not evacuating to write theirnames...
Tuesday 24th March 2020 11:17 pm
Flat Pack Love :An Ode to Ikea!
My dear IKEA: Flat Pack Crack Up
If the cracks start to appear
If life breaks through its thin veneer
If you pine for a new idea,
Get on down to your IKEA.
In Spring time mostly this shop calls,
As couples picture their new halls
Nightlights and beanbags in its walls,
And promise too of three meatballs!
Brochure life, you shuffle through,
Bedrooms, sofa...
Sunday 1st March 2020 2:07 pm
Under Parrs Wood
Under Parr’s Wood
A Poem inspired by Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas, as read by Richard Burton, and set on Burton Road in Didsbury…
To begin at the beginning…or the end of the road, which is a kind of a beginning.
It is Spring, and the mosque stands guard, though few burqas promenade its street or frequent its bars. Its spire punctures the sky, echoes of the old Methodist Chapel and...
Thursday 30th January 2020 7:15 pm
Grim up North?
The Northern Society /Grim Up North?
The Northern Club meets on t’ outskirts of town
In t’club wi’t sign fer Newcastle Brown,
T’greyhounds and whippets are tied up outside
As all things Northern are treated wi pride.
There’s chips and there’s gravy and dollops of peas
Nowt wrong wi dripping or tripe on steak pies.
No mither or scriking, no fuss and nae bother,
Just old...
Monday 27th January 2020 6:20 pm
The Ballad of Brexit
The Ballad of Brexit
They’ve banned the salsa in Stretford
Stopped pasta in Heaton Moor
They’ve put a full cork on prosecco
As part of the First Brexit War.
No pizzas allowed now in Burnage,
Chopped Salami in Cheetham Hill.
Bratwurst are now quite forbidden,
For fear Krauts may make us quite ill.
Olives are spiked now in Chorlton,
Spaghetti is banned in Mos...
Sunday 22nd December 2019 7:04 pm
Finders Keepers
Hide and Seek
Put fear on the list of things you should lose
With odd socks and gloves and your second best shoes.
Let regret go with burdensome guilt,
Give them away with your second hand quilt.
Composure and peace can often seem hid,
Like the start of the sellotape orTupperware lid.
The loss of the key to your bike lock or shed,
Is nothing to losing control of your head.
...Wednesday 4th September 2019 5:53 pm
F**ck It
Written in Widnes Station, in tribute to Paul Simon
I’m sitting in the railway station
Life’s meeting all low expectations
New philosophy, half full bucket
My way forward? Just say fuck it!
Don’t hold back or hide your talents
Go for life and keep your balance,
Just remember, long time dead,
Your only brakes are in your head.
Your angry chimp can’t hold you back,
...Tuesday 9th July 2019 6:37 am
It's Not You... It's Me: A Brexit Breakup Poem
It’s not you, it’s me
I fell for you years ago, a coup de foudre,
With your Mediterranean looks,
Your art, your culture, your Latin moods.
I devoured you, from the hors d’oeuvres to the tapas,
From the fondues to the Swiss Roll.
We blended like fine wine, like Cointreau and ice.
But now we’ve got tangled, like spaghetti
Distance relationships are always nice.
City b...
Tuesday 9th July 2019 6:35 am
A Prose Piece...
Standing on the corner, there seemed little hope of a taxi. Horizontal rain drove into my face, despite attempts to tilt my umbrella, like a knight’s lance, against the elements. Each car which passed seemed to chuckle as it sprayed a rainbow of shower drops onto my sodden trousers which clung to me like seal skin. Drips rode down my neck and I could feel a growing paddling pool forming in my squ...
Sunday 7th July 2019 6:41 pm
SPECS AND MUGS... AND SAUSAGE ROLLS
Specs and Mugs and Sausage Rolls
(With apologies to Ian Dury)
In this world of parties, life can be quite frantic,
But my sad old life can feel quite anaesthetic,
Some may go to clubs, I nibble a club biscuit,
Worry ‘bout my mortgage, and my broadband bandwidth,
Some go shake their asses, I hunt for my glasses,
Some do lines of cocaine, drink coke I get a migraine,
...Sunday 5th May 2019 1:04 pm
F*** IT
Fuck It
I’m sitting in the railway station
Life’s meeting all low expectations
New philosophy, half full bucket
My way forward? Just say fuck it!
Don’t hold back or hide your talents
Go for life and keep your balance,
Just remember, long time dead,
Your only brakes are in your head.
Your angry chimp can’t hold you back,
Best form of defence? Attack!
So watch o...
Sunday 5th May 2019 1:03 pm
Labels
Labels
We called them tramps in those days, dossers or, with condescending
And ironic respect, Gentlemen of the road.
For they were all men, of a certain age, certain smell,
Clutching their plastic bags, with coats tied round with string, or rope.
They walked the land, in laybys, country lanes, from King’s Lynn
To Bury St Edmunds in search of a meal, the next doss-house in which
...Sunday 10th February 2019 9:52 am
Poetico Ego Some
Wanted to write about the creative urge and how it relates to ego. A bit philosophical, so Descartes' famous phrase I think therefore I am, Cogito Ergo Sum, came to mind for a title.... Not really polished yet, but see what you think...
Poetico Ego Some
I write therefore I am
What I want to be,
I read because I can
Have others listen to me.
I think I’ve found a rhyme,
An...
Saturday 12th January 2019 10:07 am
Rule Britannia?
What with all the omnishambles of Brexit, I got to thinking about what our national identity really is. When you think about it, we have some pretty bizarre national symbols, but ultimately what does it mean to be British / English, etc? See what you think of this...
Rule Britannia?
Our national dish is curry, true,
Our Saint is George who dragons slew,
From Yorkshire field...
Thursday 18th October 2018 8:54 pm
Breaking News, Breaking Laws
Breaking the Laws…
They repealed the law of gravity
They said it with such clarity
To tackle the disparity
Between total hilarity
And absolute insanity
A whole mess in entirety,
It was all up in the air.
The law of relativity
Supported our community.
Unique individuality
Was now our top priority
Selfies and technology
Replaced our core humanity,
...Monday 15th October 2018 11:23 pm
Write HOPE on your arm!
In the recent storms and typhoons, I heard advice from US police to people not evacuating to write theirnames on their arms as it might be the only way to identify them. This somewhat brutal advice inspiredthe following rather apocalyptic poem - if you look closely I hope you can find a message of hope!
Run for the Hills
Write your name upon your arm,
On your sleeve tattoo you...
Saturday 29th September 2018 9:27 am
Super Love?
Superhero Love?
She had a thing for Spiderman, she loved his legs so hairy,
Some would shriek and run the tap, she never found him scary,
The way he walked, his great big eyes, he drove her up the wall.
But he never did the dusting, in fact no work at all,
Spent all his time just on the web,
Hanging round all day.
She had to tell him all the time
Don’t touch ...
Saturday 1st September 2018 12:24 pm
Get up and Gone
Get up and Gone
I remember when my uncle, with watery eyes,
Told me how his get up and go
Had got up and gone.
We were looking at the framed photo of his wife,
40 years together, and now only one.
His shoulders shook, a man once so strong,
Used to laughter, drinks and quick with a quip or joke.
And I remember when I too lost sight of the sun,
My vision blurred,...
Tuesday 10th July 2018 10:01 pm
Hi Tech Granny
Granny Hi Tech
My mum’s been posting selfies… at the age of ninety two!
She’s becoming all tech savvy, whilst I haven’t got a clue.
They say a dog can get too old to teach itself new tricks,
But she’s on Twitter, Instagram, even downloads from Netflix.
It all started back at 80, when the tablets which she took
Turned into a new device, a brand new i-mac book.
She logged on to...
Sunday 8th July 2018 4:14 am
When Clio met Rio... For Better or Verso...
When Clio Met Rio… For Better or Verso
“You dipstick!” she said, slipping into her mini,
You went through the gears, but don’t get ideas.
Chrysler! Don’t try to air con me,
Corsa you love me, I misread your signals,
My stick shift all tingles
Never did run smooth, true love’s Corsa,
Don’t leave me to break down,
All on the hard shoulder.
She began to tire, feeling d...
Sunday 8th July 2018 4:09 am
A Train of Thought
My step dad, Robin, passed away a short time ago at the ripe old age of 94. An incredible man, he lived an incredible life, including working at Bletchley Park codebreaking during the war, putting out fires at ST Paul's Cathedral, living in Australia, India, Ireland and Scotland and writing numerous books in his role as a well respected minister and scholar. He met my mum again after 50 years, p...
Sunday 1st July 2018 6:45 am
The Slam
The Slam
They told me we would do a slam
Of odes and poems and wham bam mam
Our words and rhymes would fight it out
We mustn’t mutter, better shout!
A ittle like a boxing bout;
So off I went to start to train
Like Rocky, in the ring again.
My female rival? Well, I’d beat her,
With exercise of regular metre.
My metaphors would pack a punch
I’d knock em dea...
Wednesday 20th June 2018 6:54 am
Tell Me
Tell Me
Tell me, Stranger, tell me do,
What makes the world spin round for you?
What do you love, what makes you cry?
What do you hope, before you die?
Tell me, Father, plant a seed,
What path I follow, where you lead,
Give me compass, strength and plan,
To show me how to be a man.
Hold me Mother, sing me songs,
Give me rites for all my wrongs,
You g...
Tuesday 12th June 2018 10:32 pm
When Tibbles Had Nibbles
When Tibbles had Nibbles
There once was a mouse
We had in our house
Came over the fence
And I use the past tense
Advisedly
For I have a cat
Who’s getting quite fat
Less crotchet, more minim.
But still has it in him…
Literally.
He pussy foots around
Look what I found!
Fluff on his claws
Spaghetti in his jaws,
Dangling.
His fluffed ...
Saturday 12th May 2018 4:07 pm
Stu of the Steps
Been working on this for a while... not sure about it really, but see what you think..
Stu of the Steps
This is my pitch, here’s where I sit
Cardboard and cushion to keep cold at bay
Down steps from the station, just half way
Gives em time to see me, reflect a bit.
Not all the way down, hanging in there
Holding my own, keeping my space
Forgotten detritus of t...
Tuesday 8th May 2018 9:25 pm
Only One Winner
Only One Winner
He dropped a glass
On my stone floor
And there was only one winner.
She breathed her last
Was at death’s door
And there was only one winner.
He took a chance
She faced a threat
And there was only one winner.
He lived a life,
He paid his debt
And there was only one winner.
My nights were dark
The sun arose
And the...
Saturday 21st April 2018 11:40 am
The Body of Life
The Body of Life
RIP Paul
Don’t hold on to the cord too long
As the casket drops back to the ground
Listen and hear the blackbird’s song
As loved ones whisper all around.
Holding on can pull you down,
Time to let go with laughs and tears.
One life so brief now clearly shown
Should soothe all worries, quell your fears.
Suits new pressed in Sunday be...
Thursday 5th April 2018 4:28 pm
The Shooter
The Shooter
Must be quite a kick, that feeling
Walking the corridors with power,
Knowing you have that which others don’t
Holding it close, nestling, kneeling
Taking aim as others cower
Doing that which others won’t
Taking life, paying back, being
For once the number one,
The big man, standing proud and tall
The one who sends the toughest fleeing.
Alone, just ...
Sunday 11th March 2018 11:26 am
Only Connect
Only Connect
We don’t want to be alone…
But our deepest relationship is with our phone
Like a dog with a bone, checking the tone.
We swipe and we flick,, we tick and we post,
Poking, retweeting, who likes us the most?
We turn on the roast, we like and give stars,
But end of the day, do we know who we are?
This ain’t how it could be,
It’s wrong, do you see?
...Sunday 4th February 2018 4:57 pm
Figures of Speech
Figures of Speech
One sin a lifetime
Two young too much
Three tened me father
Four who he did touch
Five said it once...
Six son I am
‘S even stevens
Eight errible man
"Nine!" said the fuhrer
Ten ding to fear
Eleven kill Santa
Tw’elves and a deer!
X
Sunday 21st January 2018 9:57 pm
May I Never
A poem about getting old... and staying young.
May I Never
I may never rule the world with theories so fine
May never run past Bolt, smile and duck across the line.
I may never meet Mandela, Obama or the Queen,
I may never solve all wars, or stop leaders being mean.
I may never reach a hundred, run for thirty miles,
I may never help the hungry, turn their cries to happy...
Wednesday 10th January 2018 10:33 am
Season of Tests...
A little poem for all the teachers out there...
Season of Tests
Season of tests and sallow fruitlessness,
Pacing the aisles of shuffling fidget minds
Tapping pens and flicking rulers and the mess
Of scrunched up paper, shavings and the rinds,
Satsumas curling, yellowing skins up turned,
Ink stained fingers, mucky finger nails,
The slow stumble of old ideas new learned.
...Thursday 4th January 2018 1:12 pm
Brick by Brick
As Trump prototype walls are assessed and my back garden wall remains work in progress, penned this little poem....
Brick by Brick
I got some bricks, cement and sand
With water, trowel, a plotting line.
Thought of how to turn my hand
To leave a symbol of something fine.
I had my patch, could build so tall,
Keep to myself my piece of space.
I could build a monstrous wa...
Thursday 28th December 2017 7:12 pm
The Ballad of the Classroom
THE BALLAD OF THE SUPPLY TEACHER
I’m going to burst, I need a pen,
I had it first, say that again!
I’m feeling sick, You got a tissue?
Watch this trick, I heard her diss you…
It’s boring this, I hate this school
Can I see Miss, I play the fool.
I always leave before the end
I just sit here, beside my friend.
I won’t change seats, you can’t make me
What ...
Saturday 18th November 2017 5:53 pm
You're Fizzy
You’re fizzy
You’re fizzy like an alka-seltzer
All elastic, little belter,
Plastic fantastic, helter skelter
Spacey one, you moon of delta.
Short of fuse, a pocket rocket
Soothing words just like a locket
Fit my spade you yellow bucket
My mind is full, but you unblock it.
Pack a punch, sting like a bee,
Sharp and bristly, holly tree,
Grab your rose, ...
Sunday 5th November 2017 8:20 am
the Oyster Dreamers
A good friend of mine, Winston Plowes, has suggested a good cure for my addiction to rhyme. I have taken two lines from hannah collins's poem The Bound Bird (thanks Hannah!) and used each woed as the last line of my new poem. It is fun to try and helps unleash the imagination (or release the bound bird?!) without restrictions of rhyme. See what you think. M x
Put pearls of amethyst beneath h...
Thursday 2nd November 2017 7:21 am
It is What it Is
Been struck by the number of cliches I am hearing at the moment, especially the title of this poem, so penned this littly ditty early this morning... Hope you like it!
It is What it Is…Some Well Worn Words
At the end of the day, when all’s said and done,
To be fair I must say there’s no smoking gun.
It is what it is, we have to move on,
Time passes or flies and the moment is go...
Sunday 29th October 2017 9:18 pm
An Iffy Poem
With apologies to Mr Kipling... purveyor of exceedingly good poems...
An Iffy Poem
If you can write and not make rhyme your master,
If you can feel and let those feelings flow.
If you can think and find a simple structure
Which builds your thoughts of love, then lets it go.
If you can find a telling rhyme or metre
Which fits with all your tho...
Friday 27th October 2017 8:10 am
The Cormorant
The Cormorant
He stands erect, Christ like
Arms spread wide,
Head not bowed, but turned aside
A crucifixion, yet basking in the sun.
Jet black, an Angel of coal,
Feathers dripping, jagged as knives
As if tormented, haunting souls,
With icy stare and blackened heart.
He might have been forced to hold
His wings for some dark crime,
A tableau fixed, a lesson to u...
Thursday 26th October 2017 2:06 pm
Burning Desire
Burning Desire
He was a bright spark,
She his old flame,
And when they got together
Fire burned again.
They rubbed together for a while
Blazing hot on tinder,
Burning looks, smouldering smile
Their passion couldn’t hinder.
Soon the hot and fiery pair
Could hold it in no more,
Igniting like a flare,
The furnace began to roar.
They consumed ...
Sunday 15th October 2017 8:51 am
Life at the Plateau
The Plateau
The view from here is calm and true
The grassy steppes stretch out of sight
From plainness slowly dullness grew
From winning I have lost my fight
Life once sharper, numbs to bland
And feet sink deeper into sand.
The uphill struggle left me weak
Fingers bloodied, grip was lost
Each ridge ahead still seemed the peak
Life was stripped, I paid the cos...
Saturday 14th October 2017 11:36 am
A silly ditty... not by me!
Said Hamlet to Ophelia,
I'll draw a sketch of thee.
What kind of pencil shall I use?
2B or not 2B
Spike Milligan
Friday 13th October 2017 9:02 pm
The Swan Effect
The Swan Effect Your slender neck and wings so clean
Graceful movement, so serene,
The purest feathers which you preen
Are what attracts the eye.
Curves and power, gliding slow,
Majestic as a river flow
Sleek and gently strong you go
Sli...
Wednesday 11th October 2017 7:06 pm
A Life in Colour
A Life in Colour
The challenge as I rise from bed
Is turning greys to green and red.
The drabness of the everyday
Takes a rainbow, turns it grey.
The colours sharp are lit by sun.
Red, orange, yellow, new begun.
Green, blue, violet quickly fade
Primary, pastel, into shade.
A squirrel, seal, a worm, a whale
Don’t worry that they live so pale.
The tortoise carries we...
Monday 9th October 2017 7:06 am
Grave Thoughts from Above Ground
Wrote this after a visit to Southern Cemetery... see what you think.
Grave Thoughts from Above Ground
They lie so quiet in the ground
While leaves and nuts fall all around.
The slanting sun, the shadows fall
The squirrels scamper, magpies call.
The shortest stories ever told,
Their lives in stone stand out in bold.
A middle name they won’t confess
Or all three ...
Friday 6th October 2017 2:14 pm
Recent Comments
Hannah Collins on Write Hope on Your Arm (6 days ago)
Hannah Collins on Finders Keepers (6 days ago)
M.C. Newberry on Finders Keepers (9 days ago)
poemagraphic on Finders Keepers (11 days ago)
Vautaw on Write Hope on Your Arm (11 days ago)
mike booth on Write Hope on Your Arm (11 days ago)
Martin Elder on Flat Pack Love :An Ode to Ikea! (Mon, 2 Mar 2020 10:17 pm)
Greg Freeman on Flat Pack Love :An Ode to Ikea! (Mon, 2 Mar 2020 09:32 am)
Brian Maryon on Flat Pack Love :An Ode to Ikea! (Sun, 1 Mar 2020 10:27 pm)
Brian Maryon on Grim up North? (Tue, 28 Jan 2020 07:04 pm)