1637 - Tea and sonnets

A nice cup of tea, and a quick sonnet
Tonight I think I'll write some more thoughts down
About what? Well, just about this and that
Preliminary musings that might turn
Into something coherent and full-grown
But probably won't. I should play guitar
There's a music night Thursday in Bolton
If I'm doing a song I won't get far
Unless I choose one to do, a cover
Or one of my own, and I will regret
It if I don't plan and practise. The sound
Carrying through the walls is what I fear
I don't practise singing here, just think it
While strumming. It makes me feel like a clown

1636 - Ha Ha Haworth

This is another five minute sonnet
Match Of The Day starts in five minutes, see
I've been out all day since the ground was wet
And as forecast it became more sunny
It was Pearl's last day out with lil Josie
And me, before she moves down to London
On Caledonian Road she'll live with three
Friends, and hopefully I'll visit her soon
On Monday I'll drive her and her stuff down
Today we went to Yorkshire and I kept
Going the wrong way, via Sowerby
Bridge and Halifax, but at last it's done
We made Haworth before dusk, even kite
Flying in the park as dark fell quickly

1635 - Hit the northern road, Jack

Yet another rainy night in Bolton
But back safely down the A666
Which leads fortunately directly on
To the A57, Salford, which
Is called Regent Road, between the A6
- That's Chapel Street, Salford - and Chester Street
- That's in Manchester, the A56
Though it's Trafford by the time your eyes greet
- Or dismiss - Manchester United's great
Stadium on your right. If you go down
There you come to the Quays where vanished ships
Can be imagined as a ghostly fleet
Unloading industrial goods and tons
Of grain. Now you just see canoes and ducks

1634 - Nice n easy

Tonight I've kept it calm and enjoyed it
When I got home I didn't exercise
I felt too tired so all I did was sit
Down on the sofa, and soon closed my eyes
To the important news, oblivious
But not for long, as it was just too cold
The kitchen window was open. I closed
It to warm up the flat but knew it would
Be impossible to sleep more. I chilled
Instead with a meal and a book, and got
Radio 6 on the TV, surprised
And pleased to hear John Peel's son Tom. Chip, old
And block come to mind. A comfortable night
Then, not exciting but pleasant and nice

1633 - Dark thoughts

Walking through Manchester before the dawn
The 6.33 from Piccadilly
To Glasgow is the train I must get on
As I hurry through dark streets, already
Security guards smoke in a doorway
Shadowy figure makes me feel alarmed
As I pass by his dark narrow alley
My need for speed helps me in keeping warm
Maybe it's tension - it'd be no storm
In a teacup to miss this northbound train
It would be like career hara-kiri
I pull out my mobile to check the time
Fifteen minutes to get to the platform
Thank God for that - looks like I'll be okay

1632 - Food, earthquake and revolution

Off work today, visiting mum, sister
And nephew at my mum's house in Greasby
Meal at the Moby Dick - ex-manager
Of Liverpool, Benitez, can be seen
In this same place sometimes, apparently
For only £4.50 you can get
A filling plateful from the carvery
Meanwhile, in the news, an earthquake has hit
Christchurch, New Zealand, made a mess of it
Some harrowing scenes there, but in Libya
Despite protests, Muammar Gaddafi
42-year dictator, will not quit
Exhorting the people to keep him there
His mad speeches seem quite delusory

1631 - Thoughts of Chairman Tone

My chair is too low for my bloody desk
It's a cheap office chair bought from Argos
The last one broke. I've still got it. Don't ask
But I've learned from work of the importance
Of ergonomic factors, or the cost
Is paid in aches and pains, repetitive
Strain injury, sore neck, back, elbows, lost
Days due to headaches from eye strain, when if
We had protected ourselves, we would give
Ourselves the chance to do our best. Each task
At work's important, time cannot be lost
But more so at home, where it's done from love
Not necessity. Before I'm a husk
I must buy a higher chair from Argos

1630 - Thirty years of war in fourteen lines

In 1630, the Thirty Years' War
Mainly about religious victory
Of Lutherans or Calvinists over
The many territories of Germany
And neighbouring lands, dominated by the
Holy Roman Emperor - Catholic
As the name hints - was approximately
Half way through, when Sweden, under the slick
Gustav Adolf, moved to protect Baltic
Ports from Imperial conquest, then went far
Deeper into German lands until he
Died in '32. For the Habsburgs, big
Losses of Dutch land and Spanish power
For the Bourbons, Louis Fourteenth's glory

1629 - Arab Spring

In the beginning was Tunisia
Then Egypt overthrew old Mubarak
Now everywhere from Yemen to Libya
Is rising up, people on the attack...
Of course, the haves would push the have-nots back
In Manama and Benghazi, bullets
And tear gas are used by regimes we back
For strategic reasons. People take hits
Like they have done for decades from tin pots
Democracy is a minor affair
To western policy-makers. Don't sack
Strongmen who use our own guns to win votes
And rig elections to guarantee our
Oil supplies without a major price hike

1628 - Things will only get better!

Things are looking up, spring is in the air
Even Salford looks good under that sky
On days like this I used to run somewhere
Or cycle my way through the big country
Best to be active, since it's still chilly
Too cold for being high up in the hills
Snow's forecast tonight, so says the TV
The Pennines with their white satanic mills
Nature briefly painting buildings and fields
With star-like blossom of frozen water
But that's a few miles east of here. Soon I
Will leave my work. Even shopping appeals
To me today, a feeling that is rare
But I'll head straight home - I've some steak to fry!

1627 - My big fat Greek meal

Dimitri's is no longer quite as good
For after work meals. Their special offer
Used to be three courses, plenty of food
If ordered by six. Now we must get there
Before five, and that's too early when we're
Working till five, and want a pint or two
Before the restaurant to create cheer
Last time I spent fifteen, this thirty-two
Which we can ill afford. Oh why did you
Choose that place, Paula? Still, at least I could
Choose a whole sea bass, which was so tender
And when the bones and head were left, could do
A ventriloquist's act with it, though blood
Was nearly flowing from my pricked fingers

1626 - Just an average evening

I've just seen a great game of football, Arsenal
Beating Barcelona from 1-0 down
Meanwhile, I've also written down random thoughts, all
About society and how it's grown
Against our inherent nature that's sown
By selfish seeds wanting to multiply
No matter what. How do we then disown
This impulse nature's given us, that flies
In the face of reason, or do we die
As a species, accepting we are small
In the grand scheme of things? Protest has grown
In Libya and Yemen, all inspired by
Events elsewhere in what's called the Middle
East. Now to cook my dinner on my own!

1625 - The Hacienda must be destroyed

Been reading about the Hacienda
A famous, then infamous club, it shut
In the end due to gangs who went in there
And sat in their own places. You'd get cut
Or at best hit if you sat in their seat
Financially mismanaged from the start
By Factory and New Order, their receipts
From record sales kept it open, the heart
Of indie cool, trendies in overcoats
Trendies but not spendies, so it was rare
The huge place was full in my day, but what
A difference later with top DJs! Beats
And ecstasy brought in far more punters
Gangs and guns, becoming too hot a spot

1624 - Untying the tongue

I've seen The King's Speech, and boy I felt tense
By film's end. All those close-ups of inner
Struggle for outward expression, to cleanse
The mind of fear, to cleanse... the mind... of fear
To forget learned bad habits, to feel freer
We all felt we were Bertie at some point
Of personal crisis, though commoners
With crises that are far less important
Than stuttering when the nation anoints
You monarch. The poor rich man had few friends
Fearsome nannies, a hot-tempered father
And an older brother who'd disappoint
Them all and quit the throne as the Germans
Mobilised, but he fought off his stammer

1623 - Waiting to dye

I need a shower, need to wash my hair
Need to change my clothes, cos I'm going out
While I'm doin that, I'll also dye my hair
Dark brown again, the grey will soon be out
Like a teapot, I'll tip up and pour out
The dark brown liquid elixir of youth
It's no drink, it would have to be pumped out
I rub it on my head and look uncouth
For five or ten minutes, a treacly froth
Then I step in the shower, wash my hair
Some of the dye stays and some washes out
I don't care or not if you know the truth
Women do it, so why not men whose hair
Is half turning grey and half falling out?

1622 - Something in the air

Ex-wives can be a real pain in the arse
As can all partners ex and current, true
They put their petty concerns above ours
Turn love to hate and love to say fuck you
In so many words, punitive and screwed
Up in the head, scores they try to settle
When the game's over they just continue
Even long after the final whistle
Say you're selfish while they're not being thoughtful
This behaviour's what's brought these things to pass
The split unnecessary but for who
Knows what goes on in their heads, a mental
Immaturity, sheer non-compromise
One's freedom's better than prison with two

1621 - The inverted pyramid part 4

The pyramid has now been inverted
The pharaoh Mubarak has been deposed
By the downtrodden who have asserted
Their rights for now against what is imposed
Meanwhile Washington gathers behind closed
Doors in the White House, as ever, minded
To influence the outcome, with the most
Important objective they've decided
Israel's safety, perhaps isolated
By populist risings that have started
In Tunisia, spread east to Egypt, those
Other old regimes, Libya, Syria... Could
The contagion of freedom quickly spread
Around the Middle East, all unopposed?

1620 - The inverted pyramid part 3

Hosni Mubarak refuses to quit
Thirty long years in supreme power and
Aged eighty-two, like Mugabe, a git
Who can't stop being in sole charge, won't hand
Over the reins. His head is in the sand
A pharaoh never says farewell, but no
Pyramid for him, only protest planned
By his slaves, as he sees them, down below
In Tahrir Square. He thought that he could blow
Out their flame by sacking his cabinet
But in their place, more men as old and grand
And out of touch, except with him. Who knows
The next move? Will the striking workers spit
Defiance till September comes around?

1619 - Fabio Doolittle

There are many and various wastes of time
In life, such as being nice or trying to save
But no wastes of time are quite as sublime
As watching the England football team have
Another go at making balls behave
Perhaps we should widen the criteria
Of eligibility from the chavs
We pick now, not just to girls, but creatures
If they reside in English zoos, they're fair
Game for the beautiful game. They can climb
Higher to head a ball - pick a giraffe
Or a cow - call it Mooney - for unfair
Milking of tackles, diving when in prime
Penalty box spots. England expects. Craves...

1618 - Jesus saves and so should we

We're saving money in so many ways
We're so pleased that dear prudence has returned
For instance, closing down the libraries
And public toilets will save piles of pounds
Swimming pool, healthy place to hang around
Maybe, but instead why not have a bath
Or cheaper still, a shower - the thinking's sound
Street cleaning reductions will close the gap
That flow of credit like a leaky tap
We used to drink from has hit the big freeze
And is an icicle so cold it burns
The welfare state is old and has collapsed
Left lying for hours at the NHS
Staring at the ceiling with its square forms

1617 - Nice bit of crumpet

I've worked hard today and now I'm tired, so
I might just chill tonight, eat the toffee
I won on Thursday in a raffle. Slow
And quiet, after yesterday's busy
Song-writing and guitar practice. When we
Need to relax, books and food are ideal
Some love would be nice too, ideally
But I do have crumpets for a late meal
Popping them in the toaster should be real
Fun later on, as long as they're not too
Wide to fit in. Toasters can often be
A cause of fire, a blend of flame and steel
Don't leave them unattended. Never go
Elsewhere - you could be homeless suddenly

1616 - Fuck the Gremlins

I can't record at home no more, oh no
The input's fucked, no line-in, microphone
No sweet FA, FFS, so no-show
For my hoped-for new track I'd meant to hone
Today, called Close The Libraries. I'd gone
To Maplins and I had some small success
However. Now my screen's properly back on
Without buying a new cable. That pest
On eBay never sent it, though it says
In my bank account I paid long ago
In December. It makes me wanna groan
So I will, so there. Groan. Now I shall rest
Having written a good song that just flowed
Into my mind in bed, before it's gone

1615 - 3rd sonnet from the sun

Been reading 'bout 'Are You Experienced'
Jimi Hendrix, 1967
Chas Chandler, ex-Animals bass, witnessed
His talent in the States, not happenin
There though, maybe from racial restriction
But Chas brought him over in September
'66, to swingin, rockin London
And paid for him to gig and record the
Seminal album he's remembered for
Fire, Foxy Lady, the Experience
Rock, funk and mind-blow. Manic Depression
As uplifting as you will ever hear
The US version also had the best
Early singles, a Purple Haze heaven

1614 - The inverted pyramid part 2

Egypt, that ancient land of the pharaohs
The Sphinx, the Pyramids, Cleopatra
Alexandria Library, all those
Wonders, but since then, less of note to our
Histories. Nevertheless, millions are
Forgotten before and since, ordinary
Egyptians in Cairo, Ismailia
Suez and along the Nile or near the
Canal, those waterways seeming to be
All of note to the West, commercial flows
Did the people's concerns ever matter
To us or to their rulers? Once GB
Was their imperial chief, then Nasser rose
Now who will the people choose as ruler?

1613 - One man band blues

Tonight in Bolton it's Guitar and Verse
They forecast heavy rain was gonna fall
I drove through light rain, it coulda been worse
Parked near the bar, not far to meet 'em all
Well the two or three who were there - not full
But I was early. Tuned up, strummed awhile
Gradually there came more and more people
Some with morose faces, some with a smile
Some came from afar, some just came a mile
As usual when I'm singing, so nervous
I forget the words learned in rehearsal
Perplexing when the song seems so simple
The audience didn't know all of the words
Either, thank God. Lyrics are my downfall

1612 - Live at the witch trials

We've heard about Miller's The Crucible
And the Salem witch trials but these followed
Similar trials in England, in Pendle
And Northamptonshire. The seeds were first sown
When James I came to the English throne
A staunch Protestant who hated witchcraft
Fearing its influence, making this known
So local magistrates could now get tough
On those troublesome families who lived rough
And stole a sheep, especially when female
Influence was strong. 1612 alone
Saw sixteen executions. In the Staffs
Town of Lichfield that year, the terrible
Sight of the last burning at the stake glowed

This last occasion referred to was the burning of Edward Wightman, who was the last person so dispatched in England for heresy, believing himself to be Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and Elijah.

1611 - Hooray for Henry

The chilling story of Henry Hudson
Is how his crew mutinied in the bay
Cast him adrift in 1611
With his son and six crewmen. Hudson Bay
(Canada) isn't a great place to stay
And even less so back then, unsettled
Vast, frozen, unknown. Needless to say, they
Were never seen again... But also called
After this explorer, not quite as cold -
The Hudson River, New York. He'd begun
Charting that area for the Dutch, and they
Would build New Amsterdam there, trying to hold
Onto a slice of the new continent
Land-grabbing was the order of the day