Humanity

The dreamy clouds 

melt into the diminishing puddle of sky, 

and the blue fades away.

Day dream clouds;

make a wish,

set a goal,

say a prayer.

The God Delusion

God is just an old man, with a back story.

He is comfort food, for the masses.

His fanatical followers, form the cult of Christ,

giving them something bigger than themselves to believe.

God created the earth, so the story goes,

and then waited 4 billion years to create man?

He loved dinosaurs so much, he gave them

165 million years more than man, but who’s counting?

Certainly not his disciples.

He is the all powerful, omnipotent god,

amongst 5000, or so, other all powerful omnipotent gods.

He is so powerful, he can’t stop bad things happening to his followers.

He is known for barely concealed cannibalism, body & blood,

and infanticide, he killed his only son.

He really is a great guy.

Don’t Talk To Me About Fair

I had a mate die of AIDS, Fergus had a lovely view on life,

his boyfriend was a promiscuous rat-face little bitch

and Fergus decided to leave it in the hands of fate.

Stupidest decision he ever made.

My best friend Tom collapsed New Year’s Eve playing pool,

he hit his head as he went down, which didn’t heal as expected,

that tuned out to be leukaemia, which he fought for 10years.

But he didn’t win that battle, and I lost the best friend a boy could have.

I had a lovely friend Simon, funny as all get out. He liked to drink and smoke.

One night coming back home, he woke up in day light beside the road,

pissed off his brain he fell from his bike and apparently hit his head.

He had everything to live for, but that knock eventually caused him to chuck a rope up a tree and jump.

My first boyfriend Anthony, was smart and funny like the rest of them.

He immigrated from South Africa with his mother in his twenties, good effort,

Never quite getting the A jobs, and when he made a supreme effort to get re-qualified,

he failed and lost everything. He drank himself to death as a consequence.

I miss every one of them just about every day. It hardly seems fair that I was clever enough to make such wonderful friends who nourished me, and loved me,

only to have them taken away through no real fault of any of them. Okay, you could argue, but I don’t care about those arguments, I love them and miss them.

And some days I think the unfairness is me having to go on, while they get to rest it out,

me having to do the long haul, when I had the greatest group of guys to do it with,

but no, that’s not how life played out. So, don’t talk to me about fair, as I don’t want to hear it.

Marriage?

We are all sucked into the beginning,

when we all say, "I do,"

but it is how you feel at the end,

that is what it is really worth,

no matter how many jellybeans

you put in that jar.

If you can still look at him at the end,

and say, that's my man,

he is my friend,

together you have come far.

The 21st Century,

when facts

were replaced by opinion,

which conservatives

would take to their graves

as gospel.

Gay Men

When you have two sticks

which you rub together

to make fire.

Angry Young Man

I don’t know why guys didn’t get the memo,

you know, that it is okay to be men,

no matter who you love.

I imagine the angry young man,

angry at other men being different to him,

or so he would claim,

grabbing me by the throat and

yelling his abuse.

“How dare you not be like me!"

“How dare you make it hard for the rest of us!”

(I’m not sure why) “I hate you!”

I look into his blue eyes

when it is hopeless 

and tell him to let go,

“Be free,”

“you never know who you might meet.”

“The love of your life, man,

just like that.”

“Why do you resist it so much?

Whether they have a dick, or a hole,

what’s the big deal?

It is all the same love you feel.”

He’d spit, and scream and stomp off.

“Love, not war,” I’d call after him.

"Love not war."

"Fuck off," he’d reply

over his shoulder as he goes.

As all he sees is his own pain 

reflected in my eyes.

Growing Up

I was called a handsome young man when I was young

when I don’t really think I knew 

what handsome meant.

People said I was so together as a kid,

an old soul, wise beyond my years,

when I wasn’t sure what a soul was, wise or not.

My mum said I had lots of friends, 

I’m not sure I knew what the standard number was?

And then I got older, and more anxious with so fewer friends,

almost overnight,

it would seem.

And I wish my mum was alive 

to tell me how special I was

just one more time.

Making Friends

I’m not so presumptuous,

so, I don’t make friends easily.

I make friends for life.

Loathsome

Recorded messages that never end

Politicians that never spend

Trolls that never stop

The latest thing that has to be got.

Social media that is never quiet

Business that is never right.

Liars who make the most noise

Stupid people who speak with poise.

Catastrophic news that never yields

Never ending misery for ratings wield 

Inaction on the big problems, our fate sealed.

So many scammers trying to steal.

Conservatives lying to get their deal

We know if they don’t, they’ll only squeal.

Denying climate change is real

Disallowing how people, actually, feel

For no reason other than their chosen god

Deny them their choice and they’ll shoot their wad.

All the idiots on hands free phones

Letting everyone hear their conversations drone

Working mums who feel put upon

Like their children were a mystery from god.

Never feeling good enough

You know, all that stuff

Love Is Hope

The couple walks hand in hand 

window shopping with woollen gloves on.

Scarves and matching coats.

The afternoon is as long as the suns shadows stretch,

bright as though to emphasise the winter cold. Weather irony, behold.

The excitement of the day they carry in paper carry bags they carry in their mitten hands.

They think they will love like this forever,

that life is grand, and that they will always will be.

Just like this.

Love is hope.

Tough Dog, Tough Guy

The guy with the tough dog

on a rope, can hardly cope 

with the mutt’s protestations 

and pulling at its yoke.

But it made him a big man

and got him lots of looks,

even if he had no understanding 

of how to control man’s best friend,

that much was clear.

Those who know nothing, 

about the shark on a lead,

standing with him outside 

the welfare place, 

he couldn’t help but think were impressed, 

you could see it written across his face.

Smoking With The Sisters

I smoked pot with the nuns, before the day begun, 

with jam toast and tea, you know, just for fun.

It was hard work being the wives of god

And they needed something to take them away a lot.

We’d sit in the garden, on the terrace by the pond

Sister Immaculata would be the first on hand

Sister Immaculata, with her two bad knees,

It would always be medicinal, roll away she’d say.

So keen was she, she’d be encouraging me 

to “roll up a good one,” as she liked to say,

before Sister Juanita and Sister Jenny-Beth

came downstairs to join us for tea.

We’d sit in a circle, under the Golden Elm

Juanita, Jenny-Beth, Immaculata and me,

Twitching fingers, passing the dubee expertly

until the very last toke was smoked greedily.

And then we would laugh, oh, how we’d laugh

Juanita, Jenny-Beth, Immaculata and me,

Immaculata would roar, Juanita and Jenny-Beth tee hee

As the tears in our eyes fell into our tea.

“Walked on water!” Juanita slapped her knee.

“Fed thousands with one fish,” Jenny-Beth giggled. “He he.”

“Turn water into wine,” Immaculata laughed out loud.

“Spat in some blokes eye,” I’d say, as I pass the joint along.

They’d look at me, Juanita, Jenny-Beth, Immaculata, all three,

curious looks spread across their faces, I could see.

Immaculata bending her knee, and looking away.

Jenny-Beth clasping her hands, Juanita gazing at me.

Then we’d get back to the business of the day

Saving lives, saving souls, making rolls, making tea

Juanita, Jenny-Beth and Immaculata, and me,

I’d go for a nap, my head spinning steadily.

Detritus

The boy all in black

sits in the gutter and smokes his smack.

He stares straight ahead,

he’d rather be there doing that

than dead, despite what society 

might say about his plight.

He was sure they would say a lot

he was sure they wouldn’t 

lift a finger to help,

because you know it’s his fault.

He wonders about the joy of going home,

even the luxury of going on his own.

Somewhere opera plays.

He smiles at the irony of the day.

Funeral

Usually, one likes to think

of one’s funeral as a 

reverential affair.

Where, in truth,

it is just an hour fitted 

into a schedule

when most people can attend.

What Polly Wants

Polly wants a cracker,

she wants a crack at Macka,

she likes the way he fills a room,

as much as he fills his pants.

She likes the cut of his jib,

she likes the point of his whit,

she likes the width of his shoulders

and the look of his thighs that thrust,

anything but slow.

She likes the kindness of his smile, 

his intelligence beguiles,

his teeth are straight and white,

his personality exudes might.

But mostly she likes his deep, velvet tones

that give her a thrill down below.

Polly and Macka, she says it over and over...

...until it means something.

And she can look up from dinner

and feel something real.

Hey Kids

There are all sorts of people

who make up this world,

some who like guys

and some who like girls,

and some who would deny 

you your right to know,

for reasons they won’t

always show.

You probably should learn quicker

about those with a political agenda

than those who are "sexual benders",

because the people who deny you 

your right to know,

are more dangerous than those

whose love they oppose.

Everybody Loved Buddy

My dog died, my lovely boy,

nearly 12 years old,

people say that is a good innings.

I could have had another 12, easily.

Walking in the street, like I’d be walking with him.

I see friends and neighbours come into view,

they ask where he is, just innocently.

And then I find myself comforting them.

Dog

You go out without pants on

The world is your toilet

You sniff people inappropriately

And everyone loves you.

Exit Blues

The truth about our

high definition,

totally integrated,

switched on,

greenwashed,

shared value,

socially responsible,

venture philanthropic,

mutually respected,

kinder and gentler

world,

is that

most of us still die alone.