A good few evenings off the sauce - tonight
I've done the ironing, and the door's stayed shut
Keeping me warm, no need to turn on heat
No open door to let the smoke drift out
I've eaten well, enjoyed its taste, and foot-
ball was watched without recourse to the can
I was going to shower and wash hair next
Shaving first, and dyeing my hair mid-brown
But then, after the Chelsea match, it dawned
I hadn't yet done my daily sonnet
I'd left it later, see how things panned out
Rather than writing it too soon. This plan
Was enabled by sobriety. Tight
Money scene, mortgage up a hundred quid
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
2017 - The ballad of pork scratchings
New strategies to help me quit smoking
Last night in the pub I had a coffee
To start with, then ONE pint, thus allowing
Legitimate beer intake, moderately
And then, I thought, and that thought was the key
I don't need a drink now, my thirst has gone
But what would be perfect next after the
Alcohol, would be a snack, so there's some-
Thing to consume as I sat looking on
At the acts, and this food could start soaking
Up the beer, shrinking its efficacy
Leading me away from drunkenness, when
I'm vulnerable to the weak-willed buying
Of a pack of ten. Pork scratchings for me!
Last night in the pub I had a coffee
To start with, then ONE pint, thus allowing
Legitimate beer intake, moderately
And then, I thought, and that thought was the key
I don't need a drink now, my thirst has gone
But what would be perfect next after the
Alcohol, would be a snack, so there's some-
Thing to consume as I sat looking on
At the acts, and this food could start soaking
Up the beer, shrinking its efficacy
Leading me away from drunkenness, when
I'm vulnerable to the weak-willed buying
Of a pack of ten. Pork scratchings for me!
2016 - They're havin' a laugh...
Here we are in a bar in the city
Two quid - one if you're poor - to see it all
There's poetry and then there's comedy
A few faces I know, names I could call
The first half was okay, the interval
Was okay too, now it's the second half
The comedy acts were all quite surreal
Now John on keyboard, he is quite a laugh
Dolphin Man, then Janet complete with scarf
I started off with a cup of coffee
At the break I bought Guinness - such a small
Amount of liquor shouldn't be enough
To make me buy cancer sticks on the way
Home. I'm off them for now, and that's real cool
Written Monday 12 March
Two quid - one if you're poor - to see it all
There's poetry and then there's comedy
A few faces I know, names I could call
The first half was okay, the interval
Was okay too, now it's the second half
The comedy acts were all quite surreal
Now John on keyboard, he is quite a laugh
Dolphin Man, then Janet complete with scarf
I started off with a cup of coffee
At the break I bought Guinness - such a small
Amount of liquor shouldn't be enough
To make me buy cancer sticks on the way
Home. I'm off them for now, and that's real cool
Written Monday 12 March
Sunday, 11 March 2012
2015 - Minty airport
Last Monday, it was still Life in Venice
Despite the previous night's heavy drinking
A fun breakfast in the Hall of Mirrors
Style dining room of the hotel. Walking
To the bus, then along the strip linking
The lagoon city to the mainland. Flight
From Marco Polo to Manchester stings
My ears. Despite being extremely tired
I went by taxi with two friends that night
To an ex-pub lived in by anarchists
In dim blue light we tried entertaining
Them with our comedy. I shook with fright
No, with the cold (I think). A piece of piss!
The only hard part's the remembering
Diary of Monday 5 March
Despite the previous night's heavy drinking
A fun breakfast in the Hall of Mirrors
Style dining room of the hotel. Walking
To the bus, then along the strip linking
The lagoon city to the mainland. Flight
From Marco Polo to Manchester stings
My ears. Despite being extremely tired
I went by taxi with two friends that night
To an ex-pub lived in by anarchists
In dim blue light we tried entertaining
Them with our comedy. I shook with fright
No, with the cold (I think). A piece of piss!
The only hard part's the remembering
Diary of Monday 5 March
Saturday, 10 March 2012
2014 - Venice Menace
What could have been the trickiest of days
Turned out just fine - a taxi to Trieste
For 35 euros. Cappucinos
Through the train to Venice, no sleep, no rest
But how could I, when we went to the best
Place for a few hours' wander, and a test
Of navigational skills, canalside walks
From the train station to San Marco, guess
Where we finished? Yes, Irish bar, of course
And saw Spurs-United, the Reds on course
For a title challenge. Our bill, crazy -
84 euros... Guinness is the best
I'd like to think we lasted the whole course
And went to Hotel Belle Epoque to snooze
Written while very drunk in Hotel Belle Epoque, Venice, Sunday 4 March
Turned out just fine - a taxi to Trieste
For 35 euros. Cappucinos
Through the train to Venice, no sleep, no rest
But how could I, when we went to the best
Place for a few hours' wander, and a test
Of navigational skills, canalside walks
From the train station to San Marco, guess
Where we finished? Yes, Irish bar, of course
And saw Spurs-United, the Reds on course
For a title challenge. Our bill, crazy -
84 euros... Guinness is the best
I'd like to think we lasted the whole course
And went to Hotel Belle Epoque to snooze
Written while very drunk in Hotel Belle Epoque, Venice, Sunday 4 March
Friday, 9 March 2012
2013 - Adriatic 2
A lovely breakfast, Hotel Vodisek
In Koper (also Capodistria)
The sun streamed in, and then the slightest trek
To the town's train station, with Ljubljana
My destination. Two and a half hours
Later I was there and saw the castle
On the hill, hazy with the sun at rear
I practised, reading Slovenian until
I felt confident, but it's still babble
To my ears, except 'Happy Meal' in Mac
Which a local lady said near my ear
At least my new black boots are comfortable
My heels aren't bad, but now my tendons ache
So here comes our second night in Koper
First draft, Saturday 3 March
In Koper (also Capodistria)
The sun streamed in, and then the slightest trek
To the town's train station, with Ljubljana
My destination. Two and a half hours
Later I was there and saw the castle
On the hill, hazy with the sun at rear
I practised, reading Slovenian until
I felt confident, but it's still babble
To my ears, except 'Happy Meal' in Mac
Which a local lady said near my ear
At least my new black boots are comfortable
My heels aren't bad, but now my tendons ache
So here comes our second night in Koper
First draft, Saturday 3 March
Thursday, 8 March 2012
2012 - Adriatic 1
Up at five, walked up to Piccadilly
Met John on the way, train to the airport
Sunny day, great flight, no delay, could see
The towers of Venice in the blue, then caught
The bus to Mestre station - can report
That mainland Venice isn't beautiful
Long train ride to Trieste, in March sun walked
Along the bay and back, then glasses full
Of Grolsch, followed by a nice Chinese meal
Hopped on the bus to Koper over the
Border in Slovenia, where the bus brought
Us really close to Vodisek Hotel
After this sonnet we intend to be
Drinking in the old town before we know't
Diary of Fri 2 March
Met John on the way, train to the airport
Sunny day, great flight, no delay, could see
The towers of Venice in the blue, then caught
The bus to Mestre station - can report
That mainland Venice isn't beautiful
Long train ride to Trieste, in March sun walked
Along the bay and back, then glasses full
Of Grolsch, followed by a nice Chinese meal
Hopped on the bus to Koper over the
Border in Slovenia, where the bus brought
Us really close to Vodisek Hotel
After this sonnet we intend to be
Drinking in the old town before we know't
Diary of Fri 2 March
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