When eggs were in baskets
Too pissed to stand
I saw it in him.
Emotion, withheld.
Failing forwards,
Being a man.
Picking features
From the floor.
I saw his smile
The pleasure in it.
I saw the human
Behind the wall
Monday, 31 October 2011
Sunday, 16 October 2011
The Walk to School
The Children are back
Walking to school
They see the rain
Dark, distant cloud
The hand held and
The hurried up
The wonderers,
Who don't get there
The rain soaked and
The wearers of coats
Walk the same path
To be lined up
The timid and
The bullying
Each shouted name
Become the same
Walking to school
They see the rain
Dark, distant cloud
The hand held and
The hurried up
The wonderers,
Who don't get there
The rain soaked and
The wearers of coats
Walk the same path
To be lined up
The timid and
The bullying
Each shouted name
Become the same
Monday, 5 September 2011
Belle Isle
Darker clouds took the last rays of sun from Belle Isle
As we walked the long road to a city that ignores us
Past the brick and concrete constructions of our youth
House by house, to the car covered barrier in our minds
We swam all night in a human sea, drawn like flies,
to half drown in bright light, sirens and screams
surfacing on Sunday with no money to return
A spiralling southern staircase, our own hands and feet
As we walked the long road to a city that ignores us
Past the brick and concrete constructions of our youth
House by house, to the car covered barrier in our minds
We swam all night in a human sea, drawn like flies,
to half drown in bright light, sirens and screams
surfacing on Sunday with no money to return
A spiralling southern staircase, our own hands and feet
Bread Cake Bramley
Bread cake Bramley
With a potato wedge smile
Half moon, loose and seasoned skin
White, stubby, beer bottle arms
With a black label tattoo
Butt end fingers,
ringed with nicotine
Pin hole, salt shaker eyes
Staring
With a potato wedge smile
Half moon, loose and seasoned skin
White, stubby, beer bottle arms
With a black label tattoo
Butt end fingers,
ringed with nicotine
Pin hole, salt shaker eyes
Staring
A View from Armley Prison
There is a view from Armley prison
A heartland on which to reflect
A view of clear skies and towers
In spring, happy visiting faces,
every morning's missed
A view of grey, pissing rain
Autumn cloud and concealment
A cold distant Christmas
Tired, empty darkness
Bright morning
A heartland on which to reflect
A view of clear skies and towers
In spring, happy visiting faces,
every morning's missed
A view of grey, pissing rain
Autumn cloud and concealment
A cold distant Christmas
Tired, empty darkness
Bright morning
Our Time
This is our time in Belle Isle
Margarie and I, dawn quiet,
the clear up and shut up of youth
On Heights estate, the gunnels of
discarded bottles are open
In Middleton and on Cavalier Hill
We're like birds who've waited for the roost
nights of noise have given over
to the morning power brokers
We tap our sticks on no go areas
the enemy asleep 'til lunchtime
this is our time
Margarie and I, dawn quiet,
the clear up and shut up of youth
On Heights estate, the gunnels of
discarded bottles are open
In Middleton and on Cavalier Hill
We're like birds who've waited for the roost
nights of noise have given over
to the morning power brokers
We tap our sticks on no go areas
the enemy asleep 'til lunchtime
this is our time
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Separate Rooms
You see me, almost. sometimes
In a dream with you, Leaving school
In nineteen fifty two, dancing
knowing what to be
We don't speak. Like we used to
"seeing the family soon" A mention for the weather
This June, which has been the same
For over a week
It used to be in that look or smile
Not for a while. The jokes
haven't lasted, we only share
our distain
Who is to blame,
These useless connections, lack of respect
Didn't check, memories, swallowed,
Down the rat poison way
Today, we pay for our 'lack of doing' crime
waiting for our time, in separate rooms
In a dream with you, Leaving school
In nineteen fifty two, dancing
knowing what to be
We don't speak. Like we used to
"seeing the family soon" A mention for the weather
This June, which has been the same
For over a week
It used to be in that look or smile
Not for a while. The jokes
haven't lasted, we only share
our distain
Who is to blame,
These useless connections, lack of respect
Didn't check, memories, swallowed,
Down the rat poison way
Today, we pay for our 'lack of doing' crime
waiting for our time, in separate rooms
United by Screens
In a suburb of boredom I am connected with you
Carricatured, youthful with little we can do
Denied our agency and with lives others don't see
We find each other online, were we exist, you and me
We are are vilified, patronised, compared to their youth
They restrict our access, take our time. They invent the truth
We should have a "real conversation" they say
But we are real and we are talking, our way
We know what we want and we find it online
Electronically connected almost all of the time
Until we can choose our lives, we'll seek to be free
A truer connection and the acceptance of what we see
That we're actually human, able to think and in our teens
We're sharing, we're sociable, we are united by screens
Carricatured, youthful with little we can do
Denied our agency and with lives others don't see
We find each other online, were we exist, you and me
We are are vilified, patronised, compared to their youth
They restrict our access, take our time. They invent the truth
We should have a "real conversation" they say
But we are real and we are talking, our way
We know what we want and we find it online
Electronically connected almost all of the time
Until we can choose our lives, we'll seek to be free
A truer connection and the acceptance of what we see
That we're actually human, able to think and in our teens
We're sharing, we're sociable, we are united by screens
Futures Fall
Sinking words set out to cut
We're in this together but
Tight belts leak loose change
While others lose what their generation will not regain
Schools are forgotten with past promises of repair
With extra money for those with golden stairs
The same doors feel opportunties knock
Rations are offered to every high rise block
Hard decisions, the acceptance of job loss
A wave of worthlessness, new faces lined with a cross
The day darkens on a burden shared by all
Pennies drop and futures fall
We're in this together but
Tight belts leak loose change
While others lose what their generation will not regain
Schools are forgotten with past promises of repair
With extra money for those with golden stairs
The same doors feel opportunties knock
Rations are offered to every high rise block
Hard decisions, the acceptance of job loss
A wave of worthlessness, new faces lined with a cross
The day darkens on a burden shared by all
Pennies drop and futures fall
A City Centre Restaurant
I imagine having an early night
In a city centre restaurant
Dropping off to the constant
of conversation, nothing about you
Half asleep as those who drank too much
and stayed too long, leave
Deep sleep amongst vague light
The quiet where noise has been
Sun through windows, buds of sound
Empty space within
Walking amongst tables to find the door
The street and the day as before
In a city centre restaurant
Dropping off to the constant
of conversation, nothing about you
Half asleep as those who drank too much
and stayed too long, leave
Deep sleep amongst vague light
The quiet where noise has been
Sun through windows, buds of sound
Empty space within
Walking amongst tables to find the door
The street and the day as before
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