When We Were Young

so let me sip the local wine
beneath this shady scented pine
and drink another sunset in
to view the shore
we once did swim…..

Unpack The Carnival, The World's Gone Mad!

It’s that time of year again
when Carter’s Steam Fair rolls on in
back from who knows where?

the dark side of the balloon
i like to tell my son
but he asks more questions
than i’d care to answer

and he doesn’t really exist at all
he’s merely here to fill some space

“parked” , encamped
as covered wagons 
way out West
you can’t really miss them 
with their vintage red and gold livery
glinting in the morning sun

i’m sure they weren’t here yesterday?
although, i may have glimpsed a poster?
all red and yellow in the coffee shop
whilst i slurped on my flat white
and spied on every 
random Church Street weaver

i take a stroll around the back 
of one of the larger 
more important looking tents
it’s where i sometimes like to walk Frank
my imaginary dog

a half dressed clown is shaving
another sucks on a Super King
in baggy pants and bracers
and just for a second
the magic is broken…..

The Wall of Death will be resurrected
ghost train mummys all unbound
the coconuts will not be shy
and the Dodgems will be found

round and round blurred lyrics jog
and the musical butcher
plays trombone for my dog?

time to unpack the carnival
the world’s gone mad!

Gone Fishin

through the Redwoods
i see you
busied with some grizzly task
a surplus of salmon
tossed aloft and beached

today you’ll find your fill
and when you’re done
you’ll slowly saunter off
glance back once
to mark your spot

off back to the woods
you’ll go
to some dark and mossy secret place
and heavy on the fern you’ll lay
a good day’s done
now time’s to waste

Budgetbeaters Breakout

(a poem about some supermarket tolleys that are literally ed up of being pushed around)

searchlights scan
from supermarkets
six trollys have gone AWOL

they made the break
at five past eight
sick of Pepto Bismol

six tollys
they have gone to ground
upturned by the garden hedge
they've got to know some mattresses
who've been living on the edge

I Wait By The Car

she

wakes without warning
tugging she
curtains
just enough to cut the dust

i check the post

she searches for something
something to slurp
last night's curry
depleated, reheated;
devoured in bed

i butter some toast

she

shuffles off to the bathroom
splashes about
toothbrush on full
mirrored on tiptoe
draining the dam

i feed the cat

she

searches seeks out something
something to wear
steps into a dress
ties a scarf in her hair
then
changes her mind regardless of time!

i wait by the car