2553 - Tweet to woo

I've just tweeted about 30 comments
On Twitter, and I've some new followers
I hope my reputation will grow, since
My intention is to post rib-ticklers
On a regular, nay, daily basis
If I keep doing this, surely my name
Will get known by the world. Better than Face-
Book, where it's just cliquey. The route to fame
In a meritocracy is when tame
Stuff is rejected, good stuff's recompensed
By getting more followers. Surely this
Is more democratic, and so my aim
Is to hammer this medium, see if sense
Can prevail when it comes to nonsense. Yes!

2552 - I love music

Days, weeks, months, all good seemingly this year
Mind you, each year has been good in the past
Appreciate each day, have fun, good cheer
And if possible, even have a blast
Why else be alive? Time goes by so fast
But really it's slow, fate is kind to us
More so than in the past, but that has passed
However, do we know that? Why now must
Things always get better now than they used
To be? Some people seek answers in prayer
And all expect science to win at last
Maybe it's best to be oblivious
Just follow your goals, what they want, don't care
Music and love their happy shadows cast

2551 - Sleep no more

Last night I woke and took three hours to sleep
Again, my mind racing, thinking guitar
My fingers racing on the fretboard, keep
Thinking of playing, racing here and there
The mind is where it starts, both near and far
And it would just not stop, lying in dark
Which gradually became light, plus the fear
That mum's operation was today. Stark
Reality, I hadn't texted! Work
Was also a worry. So counting sheep
Wasn't really an option. I was scared
I wouldn't last the day. In the end, walked
Through it, and then to town, room of people
Delivered my poem. It was better!

Wed 26 February

2550 - Again again

Things happen, things stop, things happen again
Thoughts pop up, they pop off, pop up again
Music plays, stops, starts, rewinds, plays again
Art and fashion lives and dies, lives again
People live and die, then they live again
Nothing matters, nothing matters again
Something matters, something matters again
I advance, retreat, then advance again
Fights start, then stop, then fights start once again
Success appears, disappears, once again
Exciting, boring, exciting again
Ill health, good health, mental, physical, when
Is anything guaranteed, not again
As life goes on, deteriorates once again

2549 - Power, corruption and lies

Terrible events in Syria, Ukraine
What is the common factor, it's Putin
I won't say Russia, it can't be to blame
As if all Russians approve of his sin
Though many do, but nationalism
Is a tool used by some politicians
To create fear or greed, yes, used by some
Not all. Look at Kiev, all those who've come
To state their case for real independence
Like Scotland, thinking money falls like rain
From North Sea oil located just within
Their territory. They hope tax will belong
To them from its extraction, but the same
Applies, leaders just want to take them in

2548 - What a tweet I am!

I got excited momentarily
I thought I had a lot of Twitter fans
After only a few posts, and could see
They were all writers and shit. This is fan-
tastic, I said, but soon my joy was done
I was looking at someone else's site
And their followers, not mine. Doh! How dumb
Thought I'd cracked it after one or two nights
Of tweeting! Earlier, managed to rewrite
And improve a longish poem I'll be
Reading Wednesday at 'Bad Language' so thanks
To that, it should be okay Wednesday night
Hope N goes, it will be real nice to re-
acquaint ourselves as part of nature's plan!

2547 - Food and TV

Time is so linear, easy to follow
Unlike the streets of Cheadle Hulme or Hulme
Or an amazing maze, Hampton Court, oh!
Don't go there, or it's -iliation, hum
Sweep logic away with old Occam's broom
Watching TV, Casualty's got Charlie
Still nursing after all these years of gloom
He must enjoy it, I guess, though why he
Does? Oh, but it's cheap fiction, quite silly
I wish I had a French stick, avec l'eau
Non, avec vin, mais tant pis, I assume
It's more like fish fingers tonight for me
I feel like a Teletubby, and Po
Is the one I'd be, right here in this room!

2546 - A rainy night in Hebden

A rainy night in Hebden, after long
Hard day at work, new job application
With last-minute assistance, meant I ran
Through rainy Manchester to catch the train
And I missed the first one out to Hebden
But got the next, destination, The Beat
At the Trades Club, Ranking Roger version
Next month in Liverpool, I'll see the neat
Singer Dave Wakeling's group, and dancing feet
Will again be the order, spurred by song
Tonight was nostalgic, but still right on
The beat and the money. A room on heat
In which the rude boys and girls danced as one
And Roger's reggae vocals still went on

Fri 21 February

2545 - It's who you know

It restores your faith in humanity
To exchange opinions and get them back
Endorsed. Most people, 'to be fair' can be
Nice, but put to the test, they all can lack
Principles. Is it because they are slack
On morals, dominated by the cash
It's topical now to debate the back
And forth of parliamentary debate, clash
Of opinions and backgrounds, when they smash
Into each other, forget policy
And it's just personal rhetoric cack
Office politics tells us logic's mashed
And you must be a yes man, then must be
Lucky, that's what gets you top of the stack

2544 - Revolution in the bed

Life is surreal if you want to make it
Who cares what happens after we are dead
What matters is you make the most of it
Who cares if your finances are in red
We all rely on debt, when all is said
And done, and after all, concept money
Is no more than that, it's all in the head
It's time for revolution there, maybe
Or maybe that's the case permanently
Meanwhile, I've bought two lots of beer tonight
Listening to music and football, the Reds
Of Arsenal struggling against Germany's
Top club, Bayern Munich, but then that's it
Hardly surprising, as Prince Charles once said

2543 - Kiss kiss

And so, after another pointless day
I got home and did my exercises
I plugged in my brand new DVD play-
er, and played guitar, then football was this -
Man City nil, Barcelona two. Is
It possible City can win? Oh no
Not now! Nicola, stop texting, that Miss
Is distracting me, interrupting flow
But I don't mind, she's such a cutie, oh
I'll finish this, then I'll be on my way
Maybe to Twitter, then I'll have a piss
How come an archbishop looks like as though
He drinks heavily, red-faced, as he says
We must be kinder. Good night, kiss kiss kiss!

2542 - I can work it out

Unusually I've done some work at home
Preparing for a job application
Yes, the time has come now to try to roam
Without rising to the provocation
Some people have no shame or honour, on
The various charters and codes of practice
Nowhere does it say pick on staff you can't
Relate to because you're boring as piss
Even if they help you understand this
Job and do all the real thinking. But some
Disasters can become a waystation
To better situations with less stress
Keep focussed, think of my kids, and I'll come
Through this sooner or later, hope it's soon

2541 - It may be

I'm listening to the rest of Barry White
The tracks I didn't get to hear last time
Walking In The Rain's on now, that is quite
Topical, I guess, with our current clime
Wet feet sometimes, but having a good time
Manchester might be wet, but it's okay
Compared to towns on the Severn and Thames
Mind you, this incessant rainfall, I'd say
Is not doing much good to my balcony
I can't imagine being out there all night
Like someone once suggested as a game
Or maybe for a thrill, back in the day
Yes Barry, It May Be Winter Outside
But in my heart it's becoming springtime

2540 - A Hulmerist's breakfast

Carrying on from yesterday's entry
(The one I just wrote!) though my sleep was short
I had a lovely morning with Nicky
(If I can call her that, in rhyming sport)
Tom, Anna and Paul were there, then they walked
Off homewards, leaving just us two to go
For breakfast, also drank coffee and talked
Walked home in the rain, but I just had no
Energy to do my job research, so
Went to Vee's to watch football with Louis
Where we had a good time eating a bought
Curry, which really filled me through and through
A vindaloo, with egg mushroom rice, the
Perfect meal to end a nice day, I thought

2539 - She's not there yet

This is whole a day late in the posting
I'm sorry if you are disappointed
But there's a reason, the reason being
I was out all night, but 'nuff is not said
Don't jump to conclusions. I was in bed
And in a girl's bed, but she wasn't there
Although it was nice when she popped her head
Through the door to wake me a bit later
This followed our act at the theatre
(Only a small one), comedy going
Down well, though people still haven't voted
In competition for us as winners
Nevertheless we were both enjoying
Ourselves, which was great. And so it's all good!

Written about Fri 14th to Sat 15th February

2538 - Sweet dreams

Was buzzing today although not much sleep
Earlier to bed tonight, if I'm quick
Tomorrow night we're playing 3MT
A comedy sketch that might be the pick
Of the night, for some anyway, but slick
As well, I hope, that's important, you know
It's not easy even if the idea's sick
People see surfaces not what's below
If you deliver crap well, that can go
Down well, like cheesy chat-up lines some creep
Might come out with in a bar that might stick
Rather than a more individual show
Anyway, it should be well worth a peep
And now to bed, dreams never end their grip

Thur 13 February

2537 - Water, water, everywhere

It's late but it's gotta be done, so now
What can I say? Another boring day
At work, but my Mum texts, golly gee wow
Her hip op's been set for late February
And I'm down to help out, but we will see
When that may be, because things are hap'ning
Dates are going in this year's diary
And all of a sudden, seems like it's spring
Meanwhile, on the news, there's lots of flooding
Somerset, and Thames Valley, seems that now
The South East is affected, we'll all be
Drawn in, we'll have to pay, water seeping
Everywhere, Ancient Mariners somehow
Will have to, like ancestors, find a way

Wed 12 February

2536 - Animal crackers

A blah sort of day at work, when I see
We've got a slot on Friday, suddenly
We have to get an act sorted, quickly
So we meet at 8, down the Oxford, we
Knock around ideas, and come up with the
Idea straight away, using the monkey
And the chicken, yes, it's our history
We always use that in our comedy
So see you Friday at the 3MT
Tomorrow night we'll reconvene and be
Rehearsing. Meanwhile tonight, went to the
Salford Arms, then The Eagle. Nobody
Was at the latter, real fire blazed but she
Put it out, and we went home, one two three

Tue 11 February

2535 - Whiter than Barry

A weird but pleasant evening in the end
A nice meal, then ironed to Barry White
For some reason a string and hornless sound
But still listenable, though not perfect, quite
Listening to Barry, ironing can excite
The steam was rising, maybe more besides
But soon the old ironing board took its flight
The time had come to see my favourite side
Play footie on the laptop. Derby tried
And scored, and then they managed to defend
That one-nil against QPR all night
The top two slots attract Rams like a bride
Like a ewe on heat, on which we'll descend
And the top tier may get its shirts more white

2534 - Thoughts in the key of life

I'm listening to 'Songs In The Key Of Life'
Stevie Wonder, 1976
'Have A Talk With God' has finished, and I've
An insight into how the mind plays tricks
But by doing so cleverly unpicks
The lack of love, the contusions, with soul
Creates inner peace and strength and so kicks
Back, giving a chance to those in a hole
Enabling them to climb out, reach their goal
Though hampered by such handicaps and strife
In this case, the spirit creates music
But it could be any art, any role
'I Wish' takes us all back when we believed
Life could be a paradise, not conflict

2533 - Buzzing

The rain comes down but I'm now safely home
The tram is easy, got to and from Sale
Destination the pub, the King's Ransom
Opposite the Waterside Centre, ale
Then comedy, where I met some people
First time I've seen the Buzz Club, remember
When it was at The Southern pub, but failed
To see it when it was situated there
Although attended once with wife Vera
And Heather and Mike. Never mind, I came
To Sale tonight, it was quite good, regaled
With some good acts, aided by the odd beer
Watching Match of the Day now, to bed soon
Light rain has replaced the afternoon's gale

2532 - Do the right thing

Here I am again, having just put down
My guitar, now it's time to cool down and
Just watch some TV, melt away the frown
Not that I'm frowning, despite all I've had
To put up with, people acting quite bad
But as long as I act right, I'm happy
We should always act right, I always had
Well that's not true, but who has, but I'll be
At peace with myself and I'll be stress-free
As long as I don't listen to the sound
Of negativity, talk to my hand
Being successful in society
Normally means it's soul prostitution
At least til then I can be my own man

2531 - Court on camera

So William Roache is innocent, they say
Well there's a turn-up, somewhat surprising
Coronation Street stars, juries won't say
They're guilty. Maybe they're not. Following
On from the Savile affair, do we bring
Celebrities to court, or does it go
Back to how it was with Savile, thinking
There's no point complaining? And if there's no
Point complaining, what then? Let's hope they go
Under the spotlight, but only if they
Have done wrong, not just because the new thing
Is to allege things when the plaintiffs know
They acquiesced at the time. Juries play
At justice sometimes though, without knowing

2530 - The Week on Wednesday

Today is Wednesday, halfway through the week
We rarely consider at length this day
So today let's just take a little peek
At what it means, and celebrate Wednesday
Cutely squashed between Tuesday and Thursday
You start to see the weekend approaching
Though still far off like summer seems today
Still stuck in cold winter, still far from spring
Nonetheless, the distance is receding
And optimism buds, hope slyly sneaks
Smiles are detected, work is almost play
Light filters through curtains, early birds sing
A detox evening to think and not speak
And try to work out what the raindrops say

2529 - Emperor's New Doze

I sometimes wonder whether people are
Nice or nasty, and at the moment they
Seem nasty rather than nice, but it's far
Better to be true to yourself than weigh
Your worth by their opinion, to convey
Your honest beliefs, and if they are true
To stick with them rather than to be prey
If you can ignore their shit, maybe you
Can make it through, yes maybe make it through
They meanwhile may bullshit but can't get far
Because it's Emperor's New Clothes, a day
Seen over all time, heard sat in the pew
Terminally boring, yawns ear to ear
It almost makes you believe you should pray

Tue 4 February 2014

2528 - Ape and falafel

Still been quite high today after last night
Applied to take part in a coupla shows
While on that high, even managed to write
Some new material about TV shows
For tomorrow in Salford, and who knows
Who might turn up to watch, though sometimes few
Bother. For some reason they go to the
Ape and Apple, though laughs there are real few
What's happening tonight? The rhymes seem to
Accidentally duplicate. Trying to write
In the normal way, but has my mind froze?
Pretty cold tonight, my nose has turned blue
I'm also hungry, might just grab a bite
Then early to bed, so early to rose (!!)

2527 - Reflections in A Flat Floor

Finished the Graham Greene, next it's Johnson
('The Rambler') lined up to read. Cleaned the flat
Not just the usual floor wipe, really gone
For it, treated the mould on the wall, that
Was just a scrub with vinegar, and what
A rare occurrence, cleaned the windows by
Leaning out with a soapy mop. It's quite
Hard to avoid smearing the glass, but I
Did a fairly good job. Mopped floors, and tried
To clean leaves and debris from 'el balcon'
That, plus ironing, and I'm quite the smug prat
And there'll be more of those tonight, and why?
It's Dave's Comedy Roast. Got to hop on
The tram to Timperley. Some laughs, I bet

2526 - On the edge

Hired the Toyota, this time Cambridge Street
Like Sound of Music, a fine place to start
Drove to Josie's house, now not so petite
The wind whipped and the clouds refused to part
February's cold, but the light lengthens, the heart
Quickens as spring's distant finger beckons
Headed for Macclesfield, Josie said wait
I said, what about Jodrell Bank, the suns
And planets observed by the dish that swings
In different directions. Sat down to eat
Then as before checked out the place. Depart
We did for Wilmslow, Costa Coffee, and
Lastly to Alderley Edge (Oxfam's neat)
Got some classic books in my shopping cart

2525 - Oceans Eleven (of beer)

I won't attempt to recall everything
Because I've not long got home from a meal
And drink with work chums, and another drink
But suffice to say that it's somehow real
Life does sometimes still retain some appeal
I had a good lie-in, energy plus
Worked well, then down the Knott for some dark ale
Then to Castlefield, Albert's Shed, starters
Was soup, then the main course swordfish, minus
The sword, why surprised that the sword's missing?
No dessert, just another beer, all's well
Today was Josie's eleventh, the cusp
Of adulthood, that girl's quickly growing
Tomorrow we'll be out, fun will prevail!

Fri 31 Jan 2014