Wednesday 18 May 2016

Ode to Fitzroy

Oh? Fitzroy.

You live in the coolest part of town,

gushed the She-Millennial.

Actually, it was hip

When I moved here,

I said,

25 years ago,

When thought I'd

Just discovered it,

Which made the people laugh

Who discovered it

Before me.

And those,

before them.

Fitzroy has always been cool,

the first suburb,

and the smallest

with Brothels,

and Booze,

and Vice, it was a brewing

The poor

The down trodden

Aboriginals, Australia's first fellas

Hippies

Artists

Intellectuals, so amusing

DINKS

Yuppies

Hipsters, coffee brewing

And the great big

rainbow melting pot.


Tuesday 17 May 2016

Safe Trip Sam

My baby left

on the midnight flight

It was all rush and go

and I never feel 

like I say enough goodbyes.

Like, you never know.

That final hug, squeeze,

Steal the last glance,

he gives me that special smile,

there on the 5 minute drop off,

eye to eye, look away,

good bye. Look back.

Smile together.

Click, snapshot in my mind.

Cars,

Head lights,

blinkers flashing,

the security guard 

looks my way.

Step back, away,

I take him in

one last time.

Car door,

waving through the sun roof,

looking back,

going, going, gone.


Sunday 15 May 2016

Dying Young

My mate Karl

had a heat attack

at 24, and he is no more.

Life is sweet, life is short

enjoy it while you can,

you never know

when it will end.


He was my friend

he gave me grapes

from his red grapes bowl

in the park we used to skate,

he was a good man,

quirky and kind,

fit and strong

nobody seems to know

what went wrong.


Good friends

are hard to find

and so easy

to lose.

Just like that,

An empty space

Where he used to be.

C'est la vie.


Friday 13 May 2016

The Truth Is Always Out There

When there is a battle between truth and power,

they say, truth always loses.

Truth, she may lose some of the battles,

battered and bruised,

but the war is always hers.


Truth,

Some say she is a curse.

How can I tell my truth,

when she always gets in first?

How can I say what I say,

When she always raises her hand, that way?


Truth,

Is anyone’s, she is cheap,

She’ll go with you,

For the cost of the facts,

And the admission

Of what really went down.


When there is a battle between truth and power,

they say, truth always falls over.

The rich and powerful

Always get their way,

But truth hangs on

Like a pit bull’s bite.

She never gives up the fight.


Somewhere, some how, some place,

Cough, cough,

From the dark, long forgotten space,

Er, excuse me, please,

But, the facts are these…


Wednesday 11 May 2016

I Was Staring At My Phone

I was staring at my phone

I missed the traffic lights turn green

I missed the last car ride for home

I missed a free trip to Rome


I was staring at my phone

I missed the guy who stole my bag

I didn't see the man who might steal my heart

I missed the education that would make me smart.


I was staring at my phone.

I missed the car that didn't see me.

I missed my partner’s heart break in three

I missed him every day missing me.


I was staring at my phone

I missed the guy with the knife

I didn't even feel him take my life

I missed the police telling my wife.


I was staring at my phone

I missed the world passing me by

I missed democracy start to slide

I missed my friend get sick and die


I was staring at my phone

I missed the beginning of world war three

I missed the mushroom cloud rise and float

I missed the planet explode.


Tuesday 10 May 2016

How Did It Happen?

How did it happen,

all the money going to the rich,

wealth would trickle down,

they said,

to make it politically palatable,

which, of course, was a trick


The very wealthy own the rest of us

But it is not enough,

They still want more.

What for?

1% own more than everyone else,

And the rest of us don’t seem to care.


Sunday 8 May 2016

Passion

Sailors and strippers

Gamblers and grifters.

painters and sculptors

writers and poets,

Go hand in hand

like day and night,

like colour and light,

like passion and fight.


Saturday 7 May 2016

No Such Thing

No such thing

as too big, or too grand

not in my world

put on your wig

have it curled

throw on some bling

touch your ring

make it swell

and let whatever

unfurl


Friday 6 May 2016

No Poems For The pothead

Crashing through doors,

And spilling coffee,

On the floor,

Tripping over nothing,

As the hall swerves to the right,

I swear.

Wondering what I came in here for?

Let’s look at online news…

As I eat my breakfast,

Just for a minute…

…those French provincial doors

look sweet,

as dusk falls.

Staring at the screen.

Gosh I’m hungry,

My head is spinning,

Perhaps, I might lie down.

Bloody hell,

This garden

Is so over grown.


Wednesday 4 May 2016

Degrees of Bigotry

I don’t think

I could fall in love with a blind man,

The eyes are important, you know,

Windows to the soul, and all.

I guess that is terrible, bigoted.

I’m sure people would buy it though.

Poor Joe, that is no life for a young man

Poor Joe.


Tuesday 3 May 2016

Sad

Deep

Empty

Quivering,

Grey

Tingling fingertips,

Aching dismay.

A buzz,

A pulse,

Up and down

My spine,

Stiff neck

Crick, crack

Tunnel vision,

So, black,

Nothing seems real.

Quiet,

Still,

Slow,

Dark,

Firm mouth,

Fixed jaw,

Sour taste,

Loss of grace.

Down,

Heavy

Weight,

Holding

me back

From making an

escape.


Monday 2 May 2016

Why Won’t You Think Of The Children

Think of the children!

The right wing conservatives wail

When talking about marriage equality.

So important to them is it,

They beat their chests

And insist the world will end.


When the health of the planet

And the future of the world

Is, actually, at stake,

Right wing conservative’s silence

Is deafening

Regarding the safety

Of the children of this land.


Sunday 1 May 2016

Kiss Your Grand Kids Goodbye

The frogs and the bees

Cut off at the knees

Who is next?

Humans think they are blessed

They certainly know

How to put the planet

To the test

If they did it knowingly

Some may be impressed,

But putting everything

At risk through ignorance

And bloody mindedness

Seems like a good way

To say good bye

To the generation

Yet to take its place.

All the wondrous species

Gone to waste

And we still think of self

And don’t seem to care

About anything else.