3066 - Poor people of Paris

Sad news about the killings in Paris
Religion strikes again, closed mind syndrome
A schizophrenic world-view, a virus
Which glorifies death and thy kingdom come
Let's not say that this is only Islam
There's been enough crusading previously
And it's not limited to religion
There's political ideology
That divides and rules with philosophy
No matter what we believe, seems we must
Resign ourselves to conflict both at home
And abroad. Education is a key
But what philosophy lies behind this
And must it always be liberalism?

2893 - Can't strain my brain

A plane has been shot down in the Ukraine
That's where they're mainly shot down, not in Spain
It's plain the plane was shot down, causing pain
And people died, in burning fire and flame
Putin is innocent of this deed, that's plain
He's puttin' on a brave face, acting sane
Social media is reporting this shame
And satellites are recording the same
It's sunny now but soon there'll be hard rain
By the weekend the rain could be insane
While in Paris people might go in Seine
Whether the weather forecast is in vain
Or not, I don't know, it can be a strain
To get it right, but I can't strain my brain

2822 - Brighton later

It's a rainy spell, lasting several days
Well we need some, I spose we can't complain
My jacket with the hood's back. Had a phase
Of wearing my new lighter jacket, stayin'
In Paris last month, but the rain might stain
It, plus my head keeps getting wet, you know
Tonight Derby play Brighton, so I'm prayin'
For play-off first leg victory that shows
The rest we're goin' up to the main show
In world football, the Premier League. Some praise
Will be due, if we do, to MacLaren
The Wally with the Brolly, since he rose
From the grave back to earth, can he now raise
Himself to heaven? Rams all bleat his name!

2798 - Gardens of delight

Sunny day, not too hot but quite breezy
They delayed getting up. I read 'Bleak House'
We checked out, then to the boulangerie
Last chance for French croissants - they are more nice
Than English ones. First off, hopped on a cruise
Along the Seine, pictures and video
Those sights seen on a sunny day, can't lose
Quick picnic, walk round St Germain, then to
The Jardins du Luxembourg - no grass to
Play ball on (not allowed) - but fun to see
The little sailboats on the lake. Enticed
Them to McDonalds for tea, spent euros
On books, and Jo bought braces! A jiffy
Later, Eurostar to London, Pearl's house

Mon 14 April

2797 - Madame Pompidou

Ignored the alarm, stayed in bed til ten
Heard the Sunday bells ringing, and the street-
sweeper sweeping, recorded it, and then
We got snacks from the baker's shop to eat
Firstly to Pearl's old restaurant, then Centre
Pompidou, still too expensive to view
The art, browsed in the shops, had more to eat
Then Memorial de Shoah we went to
And it was moving. Fixed a rendezvous
It was good fun chatting to her again
Had to leave, met up with daughters tout de suite
At the hostel, ate again, out to view
Montmartre by night. Jo bought a beret in
Dark red, then Hotel du Loiret (last night)

Sun 13 April

2796 - An Eiffel of Paris

Woke at 9:30, to boulangerie
Quiche again, then headed up to Montmartre
Went in Sacre-Coeur, like more by Josie
Than Notre Dame. Listened to harp player
On the steps in the sun. Pigalle, then the
Flea market, Clignancourt. I bought some pants
Three for ten euros. Back to hotel for
Tea, then to the Eiffel Tower with a sense
Of excitement, climbing its highest heights
With it all lit up, saw what we could see
In the dark city below. Been before
But not been to the top at night, the lights
Blazing. Came down at midnight, the pretty
Flashing light display the grand finale

Sat 12 April

2795 - Alors alors, I will say this only once

Woke at 9:30, left hotel an hour
Later, to the boulangerie nearby
Bought quiche and croissant, pan au chocolat
For Josie. Walked round the Ile St Louis
With Pearl. Jo bought an orange watch to see
The time. Then Notre Dame, then the Left Bank
Coffee and macarons at Laduree
Eiffel Tower (twice) although we didn't hang
Around. Quai Branly, big exhibition
Of art from places non-European, our
Tendency to concentrate on nearby
The familiar, overturned. Then we hung
Onto the rail on the Metro, half-hour
Ride back to Hotel de Ville. Alors - bye

Fri 11 April

2794 - Eurostar, Eurostar, shiny suit and a big cigar

A restless night on Pearl's sofa, flatmate
Came in late, I thought she'd come in the room
Dropped off about midnight, that's rather late
Considering I was so tired. We zoomed
To London Bridge, then St Pancras, and soon
We were on Eurostar, the train to France
Jack Whitehall's dad and mum were both there too
We reached Gare du Nord, then the Metro lines
To Hotel de Ville, the weather was fine
We walked to l'Arc de Triomphe, and we ate
Petit baguettes and crepes. There was more room
On the Metro than in London. Still time
To walk to the Eiffel Tower, then caught
The Metro back to our cool hotel room

Thur 10 April

2792 - I should be so lazy

Today is today, day of my diary
I forgot to write yesrerday's, you see
And yes, you could say to me I'm lazy
Perhaps I should be Beyonce, Jay Z
But as we both know, I'm not them, I'm me
The main thing to say, we're off to Paree
In France, me, Pearly, and Josie-Wosie
Two daughters of mine with their big daddy
We won't be there tomorrow, though. First we
Will catch the train to capital city
London, stay the night at Pearl's flat, nicely
Ready to catch a Eurostar quickly
Conveying us to Paris with a P
Hotel du Loiret awaits. Now - bonne nuit!

2508 - Scandal roundup

I turned on the news, and what did I see?
Four trials of famous people, two three four
Sexual offences composed the first three
Ken Barlow was first through the courtroom door
Next it was DLT accused of more
And then, briefly, Rolf Harris - gooday, mate
Rebekah Brooks, newspaper editor
Brought up the rear. Did the Brookses pervert
The course of justice, as alleged? Let's wait
And see. At the Palais de l'Elysee
Francois Hollande, le President, is floored
By sexual scandal. Wife recuperates
En hopital, a Paris. Merde! Paris!
Nous arriverons la en printemps, alors

2494 - Bye bye '13

It's New Year's Eve, we're at the end at last
Of year '13 that's unlucky for some
Steve Clarke at work just survived a bike crash
And me, I've survived many a late walk home
Highlights? In February, holiday among
The mountains of Morocco and Spain, no
Ski-ing, but great tapas. Trip to London
In August with Jo, stayed with Pearl. To go
Away with Jo for the first time was so
Much fun, we'll do Paris next spring. A blast
Was had rehearsing and performing fun
Comedy stuff with Dermot. Did a show
Of our own in November. Laughs with Nance
Especially the June party. The year's gone

2490 - Cricket batty

Woke halfway through the night, heard the cricket
On the radio - the sport, not the insect -
England bowled Australia out, believe it
Or not, my sport reportage is correct
Went back to sleep after two hours had ticked
And slept til almost ten. Thank God the things
I left in the hired car had not been nicked
Two plump new pillows to give my sleep wings
And the new cardy Pearl bought, amazing
It is, with posh buttons. Then had to get
My new wireless router, had to collect
It from the postal depot. I'm looking
Forward to April in Paris, tickets
For Eurostar now bought. Bags almost packed!

2464 - Cool for Cheshire cats

Long lie-in, got a late train to Wilmslow
So by the time I meet Jo, she's hungry
Surprises me though by saying let's go
To The Rifleman's Arms for carvery
And got a full belly (gammon, turkey)
Then Stockport by train, McD's, Decathlon
(The usual places). The main thing was, she
Was in a good mood once we set out on
Our way. She's been grumpy, sad, since return
From Amsterdam. Next spring, it's the Euro-
Star to Paris, with Pearl. Chose not to see
My fave night out, King Gong, tonight, alone
For that's no way to see a comedy show
I've been out the last two nights anyway

2434 - Money - that's what I want

Excuse me, I'm well pissed, just so you know
Stayed in today, but went out this evening
During the day saw two games, but with no
Excitement til Chelsea got the ball in
United's net - well done, Mata! Now things
Are getting interesting. Rehearsal was
The point of meeting Dermot, but nothing
Was really advanced, we chatted, because
Coffee and several beers diverted us
Never mind, we'll meet again. He will go
To Paris, then we'll rehearse once again
Our comedy act. Right now it's a fuzz
My ex-wife's given me some money, so
I'm OK to go out out and do my thing

Sun 5 May

2192 - Serge surge

Sunny but cool's the best way to describe
The evening. Writing this, listening to
Serge's 'Goodbye Emmanuelle' - the vibe
On this compilation is clearly too....
Rude for some... I remember in the queue
For the Serge G. exhibition, Paris
A few years ago, chatting, soon to view
Serge's own old scrawled handwritten lyrics
Behind glass, that's the thing I recollect
Listening to his stuff, though he was a scribe
Of the sordid and sexy, passing through
The years, he became more and more rhythmic
'Chatterton' has a great bass line, diatribe
Against dying young, which Serge didn't do

2009 - The towed-away hired car blues

Sonnet blog, poetry, home recording
Music, even some live singing, Bantry
Gig and west of Ireland tour, me driving
A hired car from Knock to Cork (no Blarney)
And later, round south west France, Spain, and the
Douro Valley to Porto. And Paris
In May, a Belleville gig. And Janet D...
Iceland's financial fall, a French plane hits
The Atlantic, swine flu, Iran protests
Dodgy Ahmadinejad win, shooting
Of Neda, Michael Jackson drugs OD
Al-Megrahi released by the Scottish
The EU Lisbon Treaty is coming
Into being, EU Pres - Van Rompuy

NB: My French hired car did get towed away in Vigo, Spain after I'd parked it in a bay reserved for vans and lorries! I paid a lot, shall we say, to get it back!

2008 - Financial and other black holes

Petroleum hundred dollars per barrel
Stock market falls after US subprime
Crisis. Aussie PM Kevin Rudd tells
Them sorry for child-stealing. Bank crash time
Northern Rock and Lehman Brothers. Debt climbs
In Greece and Ireland. Fidel resigns, Raul
Takes over the family firm. They decline
The Lisbon Treaty in Ireland - they will
Get it right the second time. Meanwhile, Bill
Gates steps down. The Beijing Games go so well
CERN in Geneva, concerns of malign
After-effects, could create a black hole
Out with young Vicky from Oldham, oh well
Split, saw P in Paris, Barack did fine

Written Sun 4 March

2000 - Keep on moving

The dot-com bubble is about to burst
Lethal injector Doctor Shipman's shopped
Playstation 2 is launched, let's all be first
Putin's president, meanwhile Microsoft
Guilty of unfair practice. Senor Fox
Mexican Pres, and Bashar al-Assad
Takes over from his dad. A fire stops
Concorde's flight in Paris. News of the World
Campaigns against paedos. Russian sub drowned
Sydney Olympics, UK fuel protests
Al Qaeda blows up US ship. Bush propped
Up by Supreme Court, Gore gored. The Dome's had
It. Poor Kirsty MacColl, that was the worst
Thing. Me, I rent my house out and change jobs

1977 - Two sevens clash

'Roots' on TV, and Pompidou Centre
The Clash LP, big Zep gigs, Red Rum's third
Taksim Square deaths, Tenerife air disaster
Begin begins as Israel's PM, word
Grows about Star Wars, Close Encounters, stirred
And shaken by The Spy Who Loved Me, New
York blackout, Queen's Silver Jubilee, tried
My first pint at the street party, a few
More months til I like it. I Feel Love grew
All summer, the Pistols, Stranglers, Jam were
On the tranny, holiday near the Broads
(Few broads though, sadly), Elvis on the loo
Drops one then drops, Liverpool conquerors
Of Europe, Bjorn Borg, poor Lynyrd Skynyrd

1968 - 68 Special

Dubcek's Prague Spring - then tanks come rolling in
Paris also rises, students play-act
In 'Nam, the Tet Offensive, Charlie's turn
To turn up the heat, but US reacts
At My Lai. In Chicago, Democrats
Nominate Humphrey, now Bobby's been shot
MLK too, and two Black Power salutes
In Mexico, whose Government shot at
Protesters and passers-by. Also hot
In Brum, with Enoch's speech, though it might win
The next election for Heath. Man U's cracked
That elusive Euro Cup win. Val's shot
Holes in Warhol, Catholics protest in
NI... Dick Nixon, Concorde, Jumbo Jet