Always more

Never

Is ever enough

Forever

Still needs some stuff

Archimedes

Pythagoras

Blunt and Blair

Does it matter

What they wear

Or even

If they care

Water

Into wine

Frosted pines

To share

Clever

Is never enough

Whenever

You call my bluff

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Constructive criticism

Take it on the chin

But at least

Let them know

That you did it on purpose

OK your literary history

Is thin

The holler, the din

The scholar under your skin

F words saying luck

The fall of all frustration

Your station

Stick to it, don't duck

You blew it

Would you just not listen

But there again you loved the game

And the joy of its playing

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What was to become

I was thirteen I now realise

Forty one years ago

And forty one was the number of my house

Those thirteen years to go

You, you marched on London

Or flew in from the states, via Donegal

Read your poetry from the lectern

In that domed roof, circular celebratory hall

In Bradford of all places

Handing out fallen (or stolen) leaves

Without a hint of Maharaja or Punjab

Or Afghanistan; or even God bless them all

Is it then; for better, or worse

To have travelled to have fought the few

Is it then; for richer, or poor

To have liberated to have brought the new

I was thirteen, forty one years ago

I forget your answers

But I see your hand, undeniably white

In the dark light of the flickering leaf

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Forever changes

A war fought

In a memorial hall

Blood on the pages

Foot off the ball

Angry young men

Girls with viscous hearts

But let me give you an explanation

Set for you a scene

My six string machine gun

With sunlight clouds and evergreens

Talk to me of freedom

Talk now and then of peace to me

Lease the land of my reason

Free me from a past identity

Or any other bollocks

That you think I might

Then forget to get even

Forget to think of right

Forget to fall all over in love

Or worse; forget to hold you by the hand

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Oaks and Birch

You gave out leaves

I talk of lesser things

You turned to grieve

I heard the robin sing

We do this for a purpose

Now though

Always to remember

To surprise your audience

You turn up the heat

I listen; tick-tock, tick-tock

You, in your unsettled seat

Turn off the lights and twist the lock

We do this for a reason

Now and then and always

But we don’t remember do we

Do we still have to wait until the autumn

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