My dad was in the army

Describe a family member.

My dad was in the army

Twenty nine years and more

From thirty eight to sixty eight

He’d joined before the war.

He spent the war in Burma

Fourteenth Army there

Then there was Malaya

A skirmish over there.

A couple of spells in Germany

He had us kids by now

And three years out in Cyprus

When they had troubles there.

He liked to keep strict discipline

‘Why?’, ‘Because I say.’

The punishment for being too slow;

A clip around the ear.

He didn’t used to talk a lot

My mum made up for that.

He never talked about the war.

Said ‘soldiers don’t look back’.

He always had a special chair

A pipe or cigarette.

He smoked a lot, he always had

We thought he’d never stop.

Heart problems didn’t stop him

He simply didn’t stop

But when they said he’d lose a leg

He stopped it overnight.

Sadly with the damage done

Quitting wasn’t enough

Though he lived a decent age

He suffered from a stroke.

Because he didn’t say a lot

We never got that close

He’d quickly hand the telephone

Over to my mum.

But now I’m getting older

I see myself in him

I am equally taciturn

Perhaps it comes from him.

I’m not strong on discipline

I struggle to be stern

But his Scots dad was very strict

I think it came from him.

My dad’s great strength was loyalty

He always stuck by us.

We sometimes don’t appreciate

Our parents till they’re gone.

My mother’s name was Margaret

Describe a family member.

My mother’s name was Margaret

I’ve told her life in verse.

I told it in a full length book

You’ll find it if you search.

She had an awful childhood.

She never knew her dad.

They used to blame the kids back then

And she was treated bad.

Sad inside she hurt a lot

But always liked a laugh

Surrounded by her family

Was all she ever asked.

Skinny when she married

She’d eat when she felt sad

So much love to spread around

Alas her health was bad.

Margaret was a soldier’s wife

She travelled quite lot.

But in the end she settled down

Content with what she’d got.

For her that meant a family

And she was at its heart.

I hope that we made up a bit

For Margaret’s awful start.

She said she’d write her story

But of course she never did.

That is why I wrote my book.

I hope you’ll take a look.

Of course I’ll say it’s running …..

What is your favourite form of physical exercise?

Of course I’ll say it’s running

Because I always do

You ask the same old questions

So what else can I do?

You’ll sometimes find me in a gym

But that’s not really me.

I like to swap the same four walls

For changing scenery.

When younger I played team sports

And football was my dream

But others choose when you can play

You have to make the team.

It’s my decision when I run

I just step out the door

I can do it anywhere

It’s what my legs are for.

It’s totally consuming

If you love our sport

Determines how you eat and sleep

Is always in your thoughts.

I know I’m getting older

I’m certainly slowing down

But I enjoyed it as a kid

And won’t stop now I’m grown.

It makes me feel alive again

I kid myself I’m young

There is no finer feeling

Than when you are on song.

If you have to ask the price…

How much would you pay to go to the moon?

There’s a rule in expensive shops

It goes a bit like this

If you have to ask the price

You can’t afford to shop.

Not that I’d want to go there

You know there’s nothing to see.

There’s cheaper ways of losing weight

Than zero gravity.

I’ve not heard that there’s great hotels

There’s definitely no pool.

Will there be a restaurant?

Or will we just take pills?

Where do they take off from?

Are there connecting flights?

And will they take us back to there

Or land us in the drink?

Can I fly economy?

Or must I go first class?

I’ll skip the inside cabin.

I think you’d want the view.

Will we get to leave the craft

When we are on the moon?

Or will they charge excursion fees

An extra cost on top?

I’m waiting for Black Friday

It may come down a bit

I’ll put it on my bucket list

Of things I’ll never do.

A working life is very long – you have to ride the waves.

What alternative career paths have you considered or are interested in?

Most of you are very young

Your life is stretched ahead.

A working life is very long

It’s awful to get stuck.

The world is changing very fast

You have to ride the waves

Look for opportunities

The present cannot last.

I’ve made my last career change

I stepped away from work

I’m happy now just growing things

Or dabbling with words.

But I have been done career change

I swerved it quite a bit

Librarian to policy roles

Was very different..

You need to learn transferable skills

Skills you can adapt.

Policy roles mean looking ahead

And seeing what’s round the curve.

The things that seem important today

Can quickly be swept away.

Expertise is quickly lost

You have to learn new stuff.

You wish to be successful?

Well this is my advice.

Try to be one step ahead

And don’t get in a rut.

Gourmet Bubble and squeak

What food would you say is your specialty?

Hmm..

Me a speciality?

There’s just stuff I can make.

Perhaps I should develop one

How bout bubble and squeak?

Perfect the dish and specialise

Become the best there is.

Perhaps a secret gourmet twist

To good old bubble and squeak.

Perhaps you‘re not familiar

With this brilliant dish

You make it with the left overs

Serve it with cold meat.

You mix cold mash potatoes

With cabbage or sliced sprouts

Bang it in a frying pan

And fry the whole lot up.

You fry it till it’s good and dry

You turn the burnt bits in

Get it crispy, flavourful

Then turn it out the pan.

I don’t know bout the gourmet bit

I guess it’s in the oil

Something posh, goose fat perhaps

And other stuff like Kale.

Sadly I’m no brilliant cook

Will probably mess it up

But if I need a specialty

Best be a simple one.

My speciality! Messing Up.

What food would you say is your specialty?

My speciality‘s messing up

I’ve done it once again!

Yet again I spoiled the bread

I thought I‘d added yeast.

It doesn’t look as if I did

Or maybe not enough.

It’s getting well beyond a joke

I know my wife won’t laugh!

I make mistakes,

keep losing things

I think I always have

But worryingly

It’s getting worse

I’m not right in my head.

So much to remember – where do I begin.

What major historical events do you remember?

So much to remember

Where do I begin?

Perhaps with John F. Kennedy

The day they did him in.

Or a small step for an astronaut

A leap for all mankind

Armstrong was the first of us

To step upon the moon.

Years of IRA bombing

Terrorist attacks

Bombs in Guildford, Aldershot

Brought it close to home.

Then there’s Margaret Thatcher

The cow that gave no milk

A war with Argentina

She took the Falklands back.

They released Mandela

A great man was set free

Achieved their independence

And did it peacefully.

In eighty nine the Berlin Wall

Came finally tumbling down

We never thought we’d see that

But that’s what happened then.

Then there’s 9/11

How could we forget?

Aircraft striking those twin towers

While we watched horror struck.

Then of course there’s COVID

The bug that changed our world.

Surely we imagined that?

Have I remembered wrong?

Why would I ‘like’ to take big risks?

What’s the biggest risk you’d like to take — but haven’t been able to?

A big risk means

the odds are stacked

It’s likely that you’ll lose.

Why would I ever

‘like to take’

a stupid risk like that?

The biggest thing

that’s stopping me?

It’s not a good idea.

I’ll only ever gamble if

I can afford to lose.

I’m proud to still be active

What are you most proud of in your life?

I’m proud to still be active

And getting on with life

And not like other folk my age

Who just complain and ache.

I’m lucky to be healthy

And grateful that I am

But have to say I work at it

And exercise a lot.

I’m actually working harder

Than when I was at work

I get outside in good fresh air.

I’m not stuck at a desk.

I’m not just staring at a screen

I’m busy growing food

Or working in the garden

My fingers in the soil.

I’m proud to know I’m fitter

Than most folk of my age

And proud of beating younger folk

When I am in a race.

I like to get out travelling

To see more of the world

I’ll have visited six continents

Before next year is out.

I won’t give in and sit at home

So much I want to do

I’m very proud of my Jetpack streak

And poems everyday.

I know I’ve had three score and ten

And that can be your lot

But will carry on as long as I can

Enjoy all life can give.