The Grand National

Dictatorial This one will dictate the pacethroughout the race.Others will fall by the waysidewith its aggressive ride. But don’t expect it to finish the coursea winner. It’s not that kind of horse.This one has a lot of promiseBut will lead you down a bookmakers’ abyss. Elizabeth Taylor Photogenic from the first shot of the starter’s …

Jack-a-Nory E.P.

Safe Hot-Water Bottles Everywhere Mum taught me something I’ll never forget:When you fill a hot-water bottle with boiling kettle-boiled H2O,hold the bottle over the sink in case it falls‘cos if u scald yourself you’ll know. To everyone in the world now,Peace and Love. Hope it’s so close to home, you’re care free enough to freely …

The Posh People v. Ian Dury

(or Why the ruling classes won’t ever let anyone else rule) Got a pill for every hang up.Got a hang up for every pill.Being clever dicks with cannonballs,their blow-up knights in bouncy castlesare delivered by Royal Mail in letter bomb parcelsto detonate on University Challengejust as Ian Dury buzzes ‘What a Waste‘thus undermining any chanceanother …

Mr Crow’s Nest

Looking out over what he couldn’t seehe table-spoon-heaped salt into his tea.Gull-shrieking Up the pool! and Come on you reds!he dropped his load on plank-walkers below in their bunk-beds. It meant so much more when we didn’t stand a chancethey said back in Dunkirk after Franceas did Mr Crow, gazing up at his astrological starin …

Christmas E.P.

Christmas Appeal Let’s give as much as we canas long as we don’t have to dip into our pockets‘cos we’re no longer a fanof scroungers, or their hand-out pets. Let’s face it, nobody likes being in the redsays a redundant Father Christmas-to-be, during the hols.Every soldier who comes home deadis no present for those wrapped …

Double ‘A’ Side Singles

Sometimes, my favourite poems are the shortest and simplest. These two are maybe my favourites, also because others have commented on them. ‘The Plate Spinner’ especially: I have friends (in Weymouth and Cagliari) who know what plate spinning really means in metaphorical terms! Read here by Johnny Morris. ‘Land’s End’ read by myself reminds me …