Thursday 31 March 2011

1669 - Even men need new clothes

It's payday, so maybe I'll go shopping
For clothes on the way home at T.K. Maxx
I need new tops and trousers. For walking
I'll need new shoes soon before mine collapse
The soles look worn especially at the back
Even my trainers bought last month look worn
I've thought of resuming running in parks
Like I did last spring, but I kept being warned
By aches that this strain wasn't to be borne
So no new running shoes in the offing
Still got to be careful about the bank
Account. Six grand in total I've been loaned
Two grand by my bank, four grand remaining
To pay off on credit cards. Such sad facts!

Wednesday 30 March 2011

1668 - African and Asian roundup

Gaddafi's forces push the rebels back
Towards Benghazi, eastern Libya
The debate rages, should the rebels' lack
Of arms be rectified by governments here
In the west, or by Saudi Arabia
Meanwhile, recovering from the tsunami
It may be, but the risk is nuclear
Now in Fukushima, Japan, the sea
Contaminated more than it should be
By thousands of times. Abandoned dogs bark
While livestock starve to death in their shelter
The people have fled, leaving just fifty
Nuclear plant workers to repair the wreck
Regardless of the radioactive air

Tuesday 29 March 2011

1667 - A little touch of Tony in the night

I'm tired today, must go to bed early
To accompany me, I've Tony Blair
Or rather, his autobiography
To ensure that I snore once I get there
It's a big heavy hardback, weighs a fair
Few pounds, and covers ten years as PM
Three election victories for Labour
Meant his children grew up in Number Ten
But he never did shake off Gordon Brown
Despite the protests, Blair seems utterly
Convinced his actions were both right and fair
Domestically maybe he did well then
His downfall was in foreign policy
Overcome by his religious fervour

Monday 28 March 2011

1666 - The Great Fire of London

In 1666 the Great Fire
Of London raged for three days. The gale blew
And fanned the flames which flew higher and higher
The sparks, like firedrops, raining as if you
Were already in hell. The homes were few
Made of safe stone in the old walled city
Storied wooden tenements that leaned to
Almost touch at thatched roof height, greedily
Built to pack them all in, illegally
Created a huge fire hazard. The spire
Of old St Paul's long gone, lightning saw to
It, now just a square tower, wood roof, and the
Stockpiled flammable contents all moved there
From burning houses...this church burned, also

Sunday 27 March 2011

1665 - The beating wings of time

I broke my clock this morning as it fell
From the wall after I had wound it on
An hour to summertime, and so I felt
A bit flat in my flat, but I moved on
From this blow, even writing a new song
About it, called 'Tick Tock'... I looked at old
Songs of mine, some written when I was young
And planned to relearn them, once more unfold
These preserved petals, stored in dark and cold
Places, even for decades, preserved well
Maybe only on cassette, now rewon
Like lost treasure of stolen Indian gold
Found in some sunken ship. I played quite well
For an hour to my old favourite band's songs

1664 - From morning coffee to late night curry

A long day out, beginning with coffee
And The Times in Ned Yates Garden Centre
Cafe, then a few hours spent with Josie
Knocking round Wilmslow. In the park we saw
The trick cyclists in action. Drove over
To Poynton, but too late to ride the train
That takes you around that garden centre
Dropped her off, then drove up to Whalley Range
To catch a gig consisting of two strange
Experimental musical acts, the
First was a trio with bassoon, drummer
And oddball guitar, followed by the main
Act, a knob twiddler, electronically
Ad libbing. Then, a late curry dinner
Sat 26 March

1663 - Black beauty

Another Friday night playing guitar
The second time this week with these new songs
The first time, live, I've played my Yamaha
My new black beauty sounds good when she's strummed
And consequently I don't feel so glum
As on those times when things had gone pear-shaped
I went on first, gets those butterflies done
And dusted. Then the evening can be faced
With equanimity and future hope
It's time though to start playing Manchester
I've done it before, sounding quite plink-plonk
Guitar rocking and rolling out of shape
Confidence is a great motivator
Hopefully things will keep rolling along
Fri 25 March

Thursday 24 March 2011

1662 - Night and day

Last night I played two of my songs with no
Preparation, not even a guitar
I borrowed Tom's and hurried my way through
The listeners seemed to like my stuff so far
But we both had to leave quite soon after
He was catching a train to Liverpool
I went home and stayed up late watching a
Film, a young journalist breaking the rules
And making up startling stories to fool
The magazine he worked for. Woke up too
Early this morning. Spring light comes earlier
Lying, listening to radio is cool
Talking about yesterday's Budget, few
Happy except the Tory Chancellor

Wednesday 23 March 2011

1661 - That's entertainment (of sorts)

I'm off out shortly down to the Sandbar
For a night of local entertainment
Myself, tonight I'm just a spectator
So there'll be no need for me to get tense
As you do before going on stage, sense
Of impending doom, though that's a bad sign
Suggesting lack of practice, confidence
I'm playing a song or two, two nights' time
I've practiced a bit but need more, for I'm
Mistaking words and misplacing fingers
These are new songs and their first performance
So mistakes are allowed I guess, no crime
Tonight it's not me but Tom George, other
Acts and then home, hopefully not too late

Tuesday 22 March 2011

1660 - Restoration and emigration

1660 - year of Restoration -
Saw Charles II return to England
In the month of May, his coronation
Took place, with celebrations through the land
Some nobles regained hereditary land
Continuing William the Conqueror's scheme
Which goes on to this day, unequal land
Of England, hardly a united team
No wonder emigration was the theme
This century, the ousted Puritans
Sailing westward with the promise of land
In return for hard work, with the freedom
Of practising their stern new religion
The American dream in that new land

Monday 21 March 2011

1659 - War crimes, appendices U, S and A

If Blair met Gaddafi there in The Hague
It's fair to say one would be in a cage
And one would be free, and I'd bet my wage
The British lion would stride the world stage
While the Libyan mad dog would pace enraged
Within the confines of four walls, a vague
Notion of acting legally would save
Tony while Muammar's not got a page
Of respectable lies to save him. Gauge
The whims of the west with success, assuage
The corporations' requests, you'll manage
Okay - the real rulers can pay the wage
Of legitimate lawyers. Pay homage
To the oppressors, keep your advantage

Sunday 20 March 2011

1658 - Orbiting eggs

Today I spent no money, stayed indoors
I wrote two new songs and recorded three
As quick demo's, and now, tired, I've paused
I'm writing this while watching the TV
I've eaten a few things, I'm not hungry
Yet I fancy frying a cheese omelette
And throwing in some mushrooms carelessly
I'm running out of time, unless I wait
Till after the football, in ten minutes
Prof. Brian Cox explains gravity's laws
Black hole at the heart of our galaxy
Today I also gave my hair some snips
Doing my best in front of the mirror's
Front view to cut the back that I can't see

Saturday 19 March 2011

1657 - Salford and the Reds

Another lovely sunny day. We went
For a Frankie and Benny's at lunchtime
Then to Salford Quays, where we just couldn't
Find a parking space. The reason became
Obvious soon after. Tumultuous lanes
Of red and white and green and yellow scarf-
Wearers trooping as one across the same
White bridge from the mall to Old Trafford. Starved
Of space, we hesitated, and then carved
Our way along amid the tide all bent
For Manchester United's ground, the time
Short till kick-off, then we followed after
Inspecting stalls of football gear meant
For those faithful now inside the stadium

Friday 18 March 2011

1656 - Ceasefire with guitar

Off work today, a lovely sunny day
Watched the unfolding news about Libya
The UN last night unexpectedly
Concurred that saving lives was in order
This morning Gaddafi declared ceasefire
Questions in the House, but Cameron was
Largely backed for his and France's fervour
For standing up to Libya's brutal force
Against its rebels. So Arabs oppose
Gaddafi too, which is good news, for they
Might in the past have refused to concur
When Bush strutted the stage. I cycled close
By the ship canal, then to PMT
On Regent Road and bought a new guitar

Thursday 17 March 2011

1655 - Hit the road, Jack

Tonight I'll finish reading 'On The Road'
By Jack Kerouac. Goodbye, Sal and Dean
Forever young maybe, their story told
But it doesn't make happiness pristine
No, there is the dark stain of suffering
Borne out by the author's early demise
Next Monday I'm attending a reading
With this book as the theme. I wrote some lines
For it a week ago, but I'll revise
Them once, maybe twice, till they're fit to read
It's not unknown for life to be quite mean
To people whom we assume had great lives
Famous now, and dead, but misunderstood
Lonely, rejected, always wandering

Wednesday 16 March 2011

1654 - Oil's well that ends well

I'm enjoying work more than ever now
Though there are always problems with people
Accepting their limitations somehow
And my own, things should continue quite well
My work involves the taxation of oil
The excise duty that we all must pay
And should pay, that goes towards hospital
And school, and towards road and railway
After five years in this job I can say
That at last I am approaching the brow
Of the hill of knowledge, although that hill
Somehow continues to rise every day
But hillwalking's enjoyable. We plough
Onwards, upwards, indefatigable

Tuesday 15 March 2011

1653 - Oliver wanted more

By 1653 that man Cromwell
Was the all-powerful Lord Protector
'Lord' seems a strange word for the Commonwealth
Leader, but then he was no Leveller
Or Digger. Two years before, at Worcester
Charles II's Scottish army had lost
The final battle of the Civil War
He hid in a tree, then escaped across
The Channel. Through sheer military force
And Protestant support, Cromwell did well
To keep Britain all one until after
His own death when Charles returned to applause
And all of the British Isles were still held
For him to rule (without absolute power)

Monday 14 March 2011

1652 - Whatever happened to Libya?

For days now the news has been nothing but
The Japanese tsunami destruction
The Libyan massacre's almost forgot
It's too late now to have a no fly zone
Over Gaddafi - resistance is gone
All dead or else being tortured to death...
As the UN doesn't want invasion
The rebels have no chance since they have less
Equipment and experience. SAS -
You better get back there quick and help out
I guess that's probably already being done
Though if they're caught there'll be a bloody mess
Or maybe deals can be done, sort it out
Gaddafi getting paid by Cameron

Three or four days ago, William Hague, Foreign Secretary, was calling the Libyan situation the biggest event for decades. Now it's forgotten, at least by the news, gorging itself on those irresistible tsunami pictures as it is.

Sunday 13 March 2011

1651 - Day of rest

Sunday, the day of rest, a restless day
For me as I do little but think lots
Or feel lots about things to do or say
Instead I rest and consume and put socks
On radiators. Ladies would be shocked
If they saw all my holy socks and pants
But at least some dust and grime has been swept
And thrown to the winds, where it briefly floats
Then softly, slowly on a hedge it lands
Parts of me back to nature for replay
Some useful carbon for the new idiots
Some energy to fuel some future plans
Sunday, the day of rest and entropy
Ideals remain for now but forms collapse

Saturday 12 March 2011

1650 - Japanese deluge

One of the biggest earthquakes of all time
Struck Japan's north-eastern coast yesterday
I watched the pictures of the waves that climbed
Over field and town, sweeping all away
Whole houses floating in the disarray
Shaky film of shaking skyscrapers in
Tokyo, making panic as the ground sways
The frightened faces like some movie scene
Luckily Tokyo was not quite within
The epicentre's fierce grip outlying
The coast further north, so it was Sendai
And surroundings deluged as waves swept in
Drowning untold thousands still in their prime
A nuclear power plant blew its roof away

Friday 11 March 2011

1649 - Basket cases

King Charles I had relied on the Scots
To invade England and restore him to
Full power, but in '48 they lost
At Preston, and other rebellions too
In Kent, Wales and elsewhere that he had viewed
As means of regaining his old status
Along with Commons sympathy, fell through
Charles was beheaded in January, thus
Finally becoming a basket case.
Once England was assured, Cromwell then crossed
Over to Ireland where after a few
Quick and bloody battles, or massacres
Ireland was pacified, but at the cost
Of mass emigration, fear and sorrow

Thursday 10 March 2011

1648 - Pension tension

We'll all have to work till we're sixty-eight
And then our pensions will be rather small
Ironically, it's a result of great
Advances in healthcare and the peaceful
Decades we've lived through, meaning that we all
Live longer and cost more than in the past
The national wealth's no longer national
It never was, though we had all got used
To higher living standards. Now the cost
Cannot or will not be borne by the state
That wealth's privately owned, we cannot call
On it to live comfortably at last
When we retire. Read Lord Hutton's Report
And weep for dreams now lost beyond recall

Wednesday 9 March 2011

1647 - United Nations of Bullshit

I don't understand what the UN's for
If member states refuse to intervene
To remove leaders set on civil war
Using their weapons to wipe their states clean
Of opposition at all costs. We've been
To Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq
To spread democracy, and yet it seems
Even Obama will not now attack
Gaddafi's meagre forces, fearing flak
From Muslims, even though Muslims are more
Likely to die. So NATO will be seen
As a self-serving army that will back
Away from missions that are only for
Humanitarian motives. It's obscene...

Tuesday 8 March 2011

1646 - Flying to Southampton

It's been a hard day's night at work today
But I'm up to date with all the emails
And current issues. Tomorrow I fly
To Southampton, which obviously entails
An early rise, ready to hit the trail
To Manchester Airport Terminal Three
Getting there by eight o'clock without fail
To arrive in the south by nine thirty
Then a lift to the meeting, ten thirty
Start, four hours of discussion, then away
To fly back on the three thirty. No gales
Tomorrow, then, I hope, or it will be
A turbulent journey. A cloudless sky
Would be good to look down on towns and hills

Monday 7 March 2011

1645 - Wonders of the TV

I've seen some pretty good stuff on TV
Starting last night with 'Civilisation'
Which was subtitled, 'Is the West History?'
Presented by a famous historian
Who goes by the name Niall Ferguson
Positing that the East will beat the West
But I think that probably won't happen
Then Brian Cox posed on the icy coast
And the desert, saying that we were blessed
To be alive now, because entropy
Would end everything, though it takes quite long
In 'Wonders of the Universe'... I've just
Watched a programme about HMRC -
My employer - and tobacco smuggling

Sunday 6 March 2011

1644 - English Civil War part 2

The Royalists, defending Charles' power
Had popular support in the Midlands
And North, probably because folk were poorer
Than rich London and the southern merchants
In '43 fortune often changed hands
Cheshire was fought over, being the route
From north to south, Middlewich, Beeston and
Nantwich seeing skirmishes, but pushed out
In the end, the King's forces set about
Relieving besieged York's stone walls and towers
Prince Rupert's men and his dog Boye advanced
But camped on Marston Moor's exposed redoubt
Leven and Cromwell's horses in a shower
Sprang success for Parliamentarians

1643 - Graduation day

It was my daughter's graduation day
A first in French awarded in Oxford
The place where she wore the gown of BA
In Wren's Sheldonian Theatre. Smiles were broad
And eyes were wide after the long hard road
From Manchester, while the occasional yawn
From tired parents and grandparents just showed
Maybe they can't speak Latin, looking down
From the high seats upon their kids in gowns
Afterwards, caps on heads, a time to stay
Still and pose outside for pictures, so proud
And rightly so. Now there's jobs to be found
Not so easy even for them these days
The real work's still to come, but let's applaud!

Friday 4 March 2011

1642 - English Civil War part 1

The English Civil War began that year
Of 1642, the final throes
Of the evil of supreme royal power
At least in Britain, though of course it goes
Without saying that other people rose
To tyranny than kings, such as Cromwell
But the principle of one man who knows
He can do what he wants met its death knell
Thanks to the economic strength, the wealth
Of sufficient House of Commons members
This did not of course suit King Charles and those
Around him, so he fled to Oxford, still
Hoping that by force he could still win clear
Victory over his commoner foes

Thursday 3 March 2011

1641 - The end of absolute monarchy in Britain

Charles The First was in 1641
Rapidly losing his authority
Raising tax without representation
Rarely endears kings in democracies
As the island of Britain sought to be...
Imposing anti-Puritan measures
In England, and raising his own army
To enforce reforms of a religious
Kind on the Scots nation, his dwindling purse
Meant he reluctantly called Parliament
Hoping they'd grant him taxes. Instead they
Opposed his measures and enacted laws
On the regular continuation
Of Parliament, and he had to agree

1640 - Late train to Manchester

I'm now on the return journey heading
From London to Manchester. Here's Tamworth
A fucking boring place, so so boring
Lichfield Trent Valley next, not quite my birth
Place, but the town I came to at five months
Of age. Lichfield, Dr Johnson's birthplace
St Chad's Cathedral, three spires, holy earth
To me, only because it was my space
Throughout childhood, though it cannot keep pace
With London, New York, Tokyo. I'm saying
That we are biased when we elect first
The tedious places we grew up, those wastes
Of space we at the time found frustrating
But subsequently praise beyond their worth
Wed 2 March

1639 - Late train to London

At the last minute, I've arranged to go
To London tonight on the Virgin train
To Euston, staying at the Thistle, so
Getting to the meeting won't be a strain
Tomorrow, seeing as it starts at ten
That's early if you live in Manchester
And I'm still tired out from Monday's drive down
There and back. At least now I have a fair
Chance of a good night's sleep, breakfast at the
Hotel, then all fresh, I can walk quite slow
To the meeting, ready to use my brain
Surprisingly or not, it is cheaper
To stay in a hotel than it is to
Go and return the same day. It's insane!
Tue 1 March

Tuesday 1 March 2011

1638 - Sizzling Islington

It's late, so late for 1638
I've driven down to London and come back
Pearl was, as usual, so terribly late
In getting ready to leave home and pack
Her stuff in my small car, in which there lacked
Space for it all, but we still crammed it in
She's relocated to the big old smoke
A fashionable part of north London
Caledonian Road, full of hip folk
Near Camden and Islington. I'm half broke
Already this month, cos my car has ate
Eighty-five quid of petrol there and back
But she's safely there. I wish her good luck
In getting a job and having a great
Time with her housemates in her London shack