Image: Crossing into Mexico.

 

25.04.13: 107) Sky's grey same as yesterday

Bird's singin' crossing bells ringin'

Train's comin, progress makin' whole house shakin'

An' I'm usin' the time to capture it in rhyme.

 

108) At Alan's I'm stayin' baroque music playin'

Music so mellow, on flute, harpsichord or cello

As you may be supposin, I'm sat composin'

Hopin' the sun comes out an' the sky turns blue

An' at the side of me Alan's composin' too

 

109) Blog currently up to date, so far it's been great

Outside, the gentle rain, inside, baroque playin' again

Earlier H E B we sought and so provisions bought

Now as is my will I'm gonna listen to the music an' chill

Cos' tonight to my delight, once more I'm gonna recite

Givin' my all without exception, at the opening reception

An I'm sure the rest will give their best.

Even if the weather's like an English September

Make it a great night to remember

But for now like as not, I'm gonna find the coffee pot.

 

110) Waiting for a signal the GPS screen said

No need to worry, I'm not in a a hurry

Get there in plenty of time to meet others before I read my rhyme

Or if to my cost, time to spare if I get lost

An' Alan wearing his thinking cap. printed me off a map

GPS kicked in at last, early evenin' foggy an' overcast

A woman's voice guiding, almost chiding

When to turn left or right, at junction or traffic light

Near the end of my journey I was slightly shocked

The road she sent me down was blocked

But I got there in the end, to hear Daniel say "Welcome back my friend".

 

111) There was turkey, ham and cheese, soft drinks or wine if you please

Savoury dips like nectar to the lips

All this and more before we read our anthology score

It was a buffet not table d’hôte

Now let's go read what we wrote

 

26.04.13: 112) "Oh no" I thought, with anxiety wrought

My watch said 6:29 an' it weren't fine

In bed still layin', sleeptime overstayin

Thinkin' move you fool, you gotta be at a local school

Alan had seen my plight an' to my delight

Showed he cared bu havin' breakfast prepared

Comin out fed an' dressed, I thought with such friends I sure am blesssed

 

113) The ground was soggy, it was slightly foggy

Day dawning like an English morning

On my poetry roam weather's just like home

Gotta remember I'm not there an' must be aware 

Remember day or night, over here it's drive on the right.

 

114) Look left look right, stop for the red light

Don’t speed, you don’t need traffic cop to say stop

Wipers across the windscreen lights on so you can be seen

Comin’ into town, slowin’ down, don’t want to run people down

Journey’s end in sight, I’ve driven alright

To the class I go but one thing more remember to lock the car door

Cos’ the spot where it’s on, I don’t want to come out an’ find it gone

 

115) I didn’t like being behind the mic

So speaking loud and clear, asked “can you hear?”

The students said “yes” I thought “oh bless”

So without the mic I spoke, said a poem made a joke

Into my style I eased, the students pleased

Told ‘em I weren’t rich, an’ money I saved to do the things I craved

An’ they thought it good an’ funny

When told while travellin’ how to save money

Put then in the know, about taco bars an’ grab an’ go

Enthused about the motel I used,

Early start free coffee in a thermal cup

Stop when I want to drink it up

Told ’em where to eat, where to sleep

How to see America on the cheap

 

116) I wasn’t late it felt great

As the school I looked in, soon I was booked in

Makin’ my way, to where I was recitin’ that day

Meetin’ the rest of the gang, for a while we’d hang

To talk in rhyme, part of the time

Off the cuff or rehearse, spoken word in verse

Maybe to tell a joke I’ll try

Hopin’ they’ll understand the humour of a Limey Guy

 

117) Lupe spoke of Gladys who drove the bus

Sayin’ she drove him to the library for free

I knew a Gladys when I was young, memories back he brung

The Gladys I knew worked the buses too

Makin’ sure we sat down, on the bus goin’ into town

Of another Gladys I’ll tell some more

I married her daughter an’ she were a great mother in law

 

118) We recited, the students were delighted

We inspired, their imaginations were fired

Go for broke they got up an’ spoke

With inspiration smitten, reading what they’d written

Perhaps the day before bringing it to the fore

Or that very moment of the day, they recited away

 

119) She needed extra credit so a poem she wrote she read it

A poem about fright, she wrote home alone last night

Not mind bending but a different ending

An’ we were glad to see, she read a total of three

Then as if all the rage, someone else took the stage

To recite a poem she found last night

It wasn’t hers but we didn’t care we just listened to share

 As we heard the beauty of the spoken word.

 

120) To be photographed with me she did ask

I said “yes” it’s always a pleasant task

What she saw in me today was her granddad who had passed away

A look in her eyes was a surprise

I’ll tell she asked can we hug as well

She began to weep saying “sorry”; gently I replied “don’t worry”

If she wondered why, I said “caring people cry”

She smiled sadly, but to my delight said I’d inspired her to write

The world of poetry hers for the taking, a new poet in the making

 

121) Wholeheartedly we recited as poets do,

Some of the students recited too

But what really made our pride glow,

Was when one of the teachers had a go.

 

122) I had thought, to keep the last period short

To Alan’s I had to go, tonight at last it’s Mexico

The American Consulate had got permission

For us to go on a poetry mission

I recited poems which my tour inspired

Then tactfully retired

Thinkin’ I hope that class don’t weep

When they find they’ve missed touring Texas on the cheap

 

123) The rain and mist that started the day by afternoon had gone away

Rush hour take it steady, move when others are ready

Ease frustration, use anticipation

Through traffic jams I’m done, now to Alan’s an easy run

Get everything in order, then away to the Mexican border

 

124) Some said you go in an armed convoy,

I thought “that’ll be fun oh! boy”

So it was a surprise when up drove two ordinary guys

And we could see the vehicle was an SUV

The time waitin’ was spent, so we got in an’ off we went

Through Brownsville  and soon our little band

Were crossin’ the Rio Grande

We didn’t make it last year

But now it’s “Hi Mexico The Rhymey Limey’s here”

 

125) Welcome to Mexico the sign said, our mission poems to be read

Matamoros, Museo Casamata, now it’s time

For three countries to meet and unite in rhyme

 

126) I didn’t like using the mic, and so didn’t doubt it

The audience said “yes” when I asked “can you hear without it?”

So mic down I started, my heart into my poems I imparted

Using inflexion and voice projection

Was I good, was I understood?

All I know is I played my part, in poetry the language of the heart

 

127) Different ages reading from different pages

Different minds, poetry of all kinds

Works of art read from the heart

Meanings not lost, borders crossed

Word spoken, barriers broken

An’ I’m delighted to be part of Poets United

 

27.04.13 Poems 128 – 130 were written at Pharr Memorial Library at a workshop on the topic of: Using poetry to make sense of traumatic events, combat stress, abuse etc.

 

128) Away, taking myself away, from the mess from the stress

Going out of my mind, got to leave it behind

Situation hard to grasp, need for solitude clasp

Trauma, horror shock, no time to take stock

Away, need to get away, from the dying from the crying

Can’t take no more, need to get away before

Brain overload, head wanting to explode

Away need to get away, familiar sight or sound to which I’m bound

Haven with familiar smell, haven to safely dwell

Haven I’m going to where I’m knowing

I can stop a short spell till all is well.

 

129) Sit relax or lay, meditate or pray

Listen to silence growing, adrenaline rush now slowing

Listen to the ticking clock, traumatic mind unlock

No brain over taxation, just pure relaxation

Like a gentle balm, soothing and calm

Getting me sane ready to face the world again

 

130) Relaxed and ready, take it steady

Familiar sights and sounds still there

Hang gently in the air

Familiar picture on the wall, familiar carpet in the hall

Fire in the grate burning, washing in the dryer turning

Familiar smell of food cooking, to the door I’m now looking

To open and feel my feet, once more on that familiar street

 

131) First open mic done as yet no sign of the sun

To the library at Pharr we joked in my car

But had the joke gone to Pharr, when we said “how Pharr?”

“Is it so Pharr? Too Pharr? Not so Phar?  very Pharr?”

Even “thus Pharr, eben to say “Pharr Pharr away”.

Well that’s it now we’re to our next venue

Elsa and Leroy’s on West Santa Rosa Avenue

An’ if I can’t rhyme a line with Elsa I’ll not dread

I’ll simply find a way to rhyme with Leroy’s instead

 

132) Poetic girls and boys, got together at Leroy’s

Followed the road leadin’ there for a lunch time readin’

Apparently it’s neat and the foods a real treat

Crispy beef taco’s, bean an’ cheese nachos

Chalupas, cheese enchiladas,

It’s said Pancho will make, you a great chicken steak

Two plates of food from two countries I was delighted

When with knife and fork the two were united

An’ I did feel, it’s a shame we can’t do it for real

But the food really was finger lickin’

At Leroy’s for burger an’ chicken

Now it’s time, to end this culinary rhyme

 

133) Leroy’s bill paid and our way we made

Where I’d never been before, now to the fore

Once more given the time to recite in rhyme

Making our way to the last open mic of the day

Welasco Museum we would recite, got there and to our delight

Texas hospitality without doubt, refreshment table neatly laid out

Quite a choice to stimulate my weary voice

So well read and now well fed

This poem is my latest

Saying “thank you Museum ladies, you really are the greatest”.

 

134) We sat, we had a chat, we ate, not to late

Cos’ when we been fed, there’s poems to be read

There was wine, to some it was fine

But not much red, cos’ there were poems to be read

To the hall to have a ball

We’ll be led, to hear poems being read

Hope it’s a good night an’ a great delight

Before we go to bed, we enjoy the poems being read.

 

135) Idea conception, opening reception

Anthology launched, talent not staunched

Using poetry as tools, we go round schools

Imagination firing, students inspiring

To the stage invited, they came we were delighted

Read their own or borrow, the future poets of tomorrow

Night time comin’ Valley Fest still hummin’

Readings from college to acknowledge

Good or bad grammar, take the stage poetry slammer

Polite or uncouth, adult or youth

The bridge over the River Grande leadin’

Six of us to Matamoros for an international readin’

Final day we’re on our way

Workshops open mic, recitin’ what we like

Lunchtime read what we will

At burger bar, bakery, restaurant or grill

Afternoon events, it’s goin’ alright

Final gathering at the Pachanga tonight

Poet’s dinner always a winner

For the rest of the night we all recite

As on it’s wearin’ well be poetry sharin’

Topic no object, any subject

Romantic sonnet, picking a blue bonnet

Do a quick haiku, there’s so much you can do

Pleasant passing of time, free verse or rhyme

Poetry heaven at Pachanga number 7

An’ before you go, thank you for comin’ an’ makin’ it so.