Category: Poetry

I’d have to say my wife

What relationships have a positive impact on you?

A positive relationship?

I’d have to say my wife

Since we now are both retired

She’s seldom out of sight.

She helps to shape my every day

And kicks me into life

Organises what we do

The places that we go.

I am easy going

I live life in a dream

She will always have a plan

A stack of things to do.

It’s she who shapes our social life

Keeps me in touch with friends

And makes sure that we see our kids

As often as we can.

She always has a travel plan

We‘ve been across the world

And all the places that we‘ve been

Have all been down to her.

She finds good series on TV

Plans some great days out

And often finds good tickets

For stuff to see in town.

She organises shopping

Knows the stuff we need

We could not eat the way we do

If it was down to me.

She‘s brilliant in the kitchen

Amazing meals she makes

And always such variety

I never have complaints.

She has the greenest fingers

There’s nothing she can’t grow.

We have a pleasant garden

Grow our own food as well.

So positive relationship

I’d have to say my wife

It’s mostly just the two of us

I can’t say otherwise.

I already started one – Fantasy Premier League

If you started a sports team, what would the colours and mascot be?

Green O‘The South – Fantasy Premier League

I already have a team

For playing fantasy games

The kit comes partly from my name

And favourite rugby team.

The name comes from a Scottish team

Perhaps you‘ll know the one?

I picked it for the sound alike

And call them Green O‘The South.

You’ll understand the kit a bit

If you know Harlequins

A famous team in quartered shirts

That play at Twickenham.

The stripes and sleeves cerise and blue

Borrowed from the Quins

The brown and grey I used for socks

And also took from them.

I emphasised the green in the kit

Because that is my my name.

Hope you’ll understand that

And not think that I’m vain.

I haven’t thought of mascots

I am not quite that sad.

Perhaps as we are Berkshire based

It ought to be a stag?

We never really play of course

It’s based on real life games

I’m a sort of manager

But only in my dreams.

I‘m more European than I have ever been

How have your political views changed over time?

I once distrusted the EU

A bureaucratic mess.

Rules and regulations

That really made no sense.

Subsidies to farmers

To benefit the French

Germans in the driving seat

Or so it seemed to us.

We came late to the party

Were always on the fringe

Played the awkward partner

And constantly complained.

But come the referendum

I found my views had changed

The world is much too complex

For us to go alone.

Climate, immigration, terrorism, crime

These are problems for the world

That won’t respect our borders

And cant be solved alone.

Then there were the populists

Who pandered to our fears

I did not trust the lying words

That came from such as these.

Wealthy politicians

Whose wealth was held offshore

Wanted out of the EU

Before a change of law.

They blamed all immigration

On free movement, the EU

But folk are slowly finding out

That they weren’t told the truth.

Our farmers and our fishermen

Thought they knew the score

But they got what they asked for

And they aren’t rejoicing now.

Workers in the factories

Europe subsidised

Bit the hand that fed them

Common sense defied.

They say my generation

Betrayed those who are young.

But you can count me out of that

The Brexit vote was wrong.

The world is so much smaller

Than how it used to be.

We‘ve Portugese and Finns and Swedes

We call our family.

Most of us now understand

We got it badly wrong

But politicians dare not tell

The voters they betrayed.

We‘ll never get so good a deal

It’s too hard going back

But we must stay close to Europe

Nothing else makes sense.

You can’t wait for the perfect space

You get to build your perfect space for reading and writing. What’s it like?

I’m writing in an airport

Waiting for a flight.

Tapping as per usual

On my trusty phone.

More often I‘ll blog from my bed

Or soon as I am up

Anywhere there‘s time and space

And I won’t be disturbed.

If I wait for inspiration

It’s likely I‘ll not write

I knock stuff out quite quickly

And hope it is alright.

So waiting for the perfect space

Just wouldn’t work for me.

Sitting in the perfect place

No creativity.

So all you get‘s this silly verse

My novel‘s still unwritten.

The only time my words spill out

Is when they are unbidden.

I used to want the perfect desk

A perfect book filled room

The very best equipment

For jotting ideas down.

You can’t wait for the perfect place

It never will quite come

And if it does well writer‘s block

Could be the sad outcome.

You’ll still stare at an empty screen

Despite your working place

So never mind the perfect time

Just get those ideas down.

Just a car that gets me round

What is your all time favorite automobile?

I don’t get the obsession

With what we like to drive.

Just a car that gets me round

And I can stuff things in.

We‘re often hauling plants

and produce round

Or going to the tip

Giving lifts to friends or kids

Or off for a weekend.

We don’t need flashy vehicles

That cannot take a scratch

Just something that’s reliable

And just does what it’s asked.

I do not need a supercar

I‘m fine with what I‘ve now

You may sneer if into cars

But I love my Peugot.

Have a Merry Christmas- hope you’ll find creative ways to spread a little joy.

How are you creative?

Have a Merry Christmas

A festive Christmas Day

Hope you‘ll find creative ways

To spread a little joy!

Creative in the kitchen

Or breaking into song

Spread a little merriment

Join the happy throng.

Capture the enjoyment

In a young child’s face

Ripping off the paper

Presents wrapped with love.

All the favourite ornaments

Gathered on the tree

Each one with a purpose

A favourite memory.

If it’s not your custom

I hope you’ll play along

Join our celebration

Join our happy throng.

Santa visits early – Hyvää joulua!











Santa visits early





in these Northern parts





He makes his first delivery





to Finnish folk and elves.










So we say ‘hyvää joulua’





to you on Christmas Eve





For Santa has arrived here





The famous saint himself.










He sometimes comes in person





Arraigned in his red suit.





But don’t be disappointed





If he just sends an elf.










Presents for the children





Bits for the adults





Letters up the chimney





Clearly brought results.










So he‘ll be with you shortly





But will come while your asleep





Here he visits early





The kids are all awake.





Finnish Christmas Spread

	


	



			
				


			

			
Who is there to take the blame?
		
	
	

		

Who are the biggest influences in your life?





Who’s my biggest influence?





I couldn’t really say.





Who is there to take the blame





That I turned out this way?










Some would blame my parents





I get it all from them





But they had four different children





And no two are the same.










It could have been my teachers





I had a few of them





But I went to so many schools





You can’t pin down the blame.










Maybe television





Or all the books I read





Or just the times I lived in





And the things that people said.










I’m fundamentally Christian





But somewhat a la carte





Of mixed denomination





There’s quite a few I’ve tried.










The Jesus of the Gospel





Cannot be denied





So critical of religious folk





Who are not always kind.















I’ve always loved the Quakers





The guiding inner light





Their Advice and Queries





A favourite book of mine.










As to literary influence





Well I love Wendy Cope





Don’t take myself too serious





Just love the stuff she wrote.










A little touch of Kipling





Some Hardy here and there





Taking off John Betjeman





MacNeice and thirties fare.










There’s no one quite responsible





I guess I am just me





I have to take the blame myself





And act responsibly.

	


	



			
				


			

			
Everything was black and white in 1952
		
	
	

		

Share what you know about the year you were born.










Everything was black and white





A new Queen on the throne





She heard the news in Kenya





And had to travel home.










The Olympics were in Finland





The place that we’ve just flown





It was Paavo Nurmi





Who took the world by storm.










At home we still had rationing





Of eggs and butter, meat.





It also covered sugar





And sadly children’s sweets.










It was a cold, cold winter





They had most awful smog





And earlier in Lynmouth





They had a dreadful flood.










Newcastle in football





Won the FA Cup.





Arsenal in the football league





Topped division one.

















The only cars you saw were black





There weren’t too many planes





And if you were a baby





Then you’d have a great big pram.






	


	



			
				


			

			
Not sure bout the bearded chap just across the aisle
		
	
	

		

Are you a good judge of character?










Flying to Helsinki 





on a Finnish flight





Not sure bout the bearded chap.





Just across the aisle.










Says he’s bound for Lapland





Then to the North Pole





But something odd about him





And it doesn’t quite add up.










It’s awful hard to read him





He’s wearing funny clothes.





Something odd about the beard





His face all covered up.










He likes to visit children





Creep about at night





Seems a little odd to me





Something’s not quite right.










He didn’t like the menu





Reindeer in a roll





Nordic speciality





But he turned up his nose.










I know you’ll think it rude of me





I really shouldn’t stare





But I’m not sure about that man





Who’s sitting over there.