Every place has its problems
Here it's the seagulls
The walkers with their dogs
And the irregular hours
Of the drug dealers
Everywhere on earth is blighted
With one annoyance or another
Here it is the broad beam shorts
For daughters and mothers
As they lean on the railings
Every town in every county
From the north to the south
Every hope quickly becomes regret
As sad words leave the mouth
To characterise the diminished accent
Gratitude
Towards pigeons
And Weatherspoon’s
Bask
In September sunshine
Between the clouds
To believe
Or to not believe
In the church of the church
Who meet in cinemas
Hotels, cafés
And your house if you let them
What else to do
But to sit up straight
Think of the last few lines
Before the tide goes out
Or the floodgates
Are put in place
How to be both
Happy and sad
Dark and light
Dull or bright
Fight or flight
How to be both
Here and there
Anywhere and everywhere
With moon and sun
With angst or fun
How to be both
First and last
Start and finish
Where or whereabouts
In or out of pocket
How to be both
Superficial yet insightful
Tormenting or peaceful
Surf god or seagull
Spaceship or rocket
How long could I stay here
Without a field
Or branch
Or tree
Waiting for the big boat
Moving slowly
Across
A bounded sea
Rising as a tower or platform
To dwarf
The white sailed
Sailing boat I see
We have a time for the crying
It is a gift
Gifted
To the all of us who are to be
Although for now
Preservation
Is our perseverance
For our final shoal of reverie
Friday morning on the seafront
Ocean liners on the ocean line
Out there are the Channel Islands
The accident soon became the design
Once again to thinking of setting sail
Or of boarding the thirty-minute flight
Such is the hopeless old romantic
With his penchant for second sight
The hearing is the hearing is the hearing
Away from most of all distraction
With the foretaste of nights of satin
This item craves signs of satisfaction
For stories of hotel bedrooms
With birthday parties for the girls
Step after step down the catwalk
Her smile for your life seriously unfurls
