CONTENTS

1.

THE WHEELBARROW

WHEELBARROW

I enrolled on a poetry course at Southampton University and was told to write a poem about a wheelbarrow - the imagination needed a bit of stretching!
2.
ARMISTICE DAY IN THE NEW FOREST
ARMISTICE
This was written in the New Forest and in the motor caravan and on Armistice Day. What is more, a herd of wild ponies galloped by - and this poem was born
3.
ON PLAYING GOLF BADLY
BADGOLF
Do you have good days and bad days, too?
4.
DAYDREAMS
DAYDREAMS
I believe in me - I just wonder if anyone else does?
5.

THE TEAPOT

TEAPOT
Another 'Southampton' exercise that I was set. What to write about a teapot?
Try chucking a bit of pathos into the infusion and see what comes out!
6.
ON GROWING OLD
GROWING OLD
On a golf course. My playing partner was ruing his age; and I told him I felt
like Peter Pan - couldn't believe that every sixteen year old girl in the world wouldn't want to rush to jump into bed with me. Looking up from adressing his ball he remonstrated sadly, 'it's when a sixteen year old girl does want to jump into bed with you and you find that you can't do anything about it - that's when your age begins to tell!'
This poem was born!
7.
ON A DORSET COASTLINE
DORSET
When one was young, affairs of the heart, indiscretions, were fun - unless, of course, one hadn't thought through the consequences!
8.
TO BONZO
BONZO
Our German Shepherd loves golf as much as I do. She has a wonderful nose; and she is bright enough to understand that a certain four letter expletive from
me means that I have lost another golf ball - and that there is work to be done!
9.
WAITING TO BE USED
WAITING
All compelled to try to be creative must, I am sure, sometimes feel the frustrations that I have tried to express here.
10.
HENRY KING
HENRY KING
Ditto - but I also try and extend my creative urges to the workshop - so frustration times two!
11.
LOVE DEFINED
LOVE DEFINED
Written when, thank God in another life, I was languishing in a drink and drug re-hab clinic. In these places they have the knack of kicking the psychological skittles of shit out of you - and they also have a habit of breaking up relationships: They told me that I didn't love my wife - and I protested greatly. For two days I was left in virtual solitude to consider this proposition; and I had to ask myself, 'what is love?' My answer, I have tried to encapsulate in this poem.
12.
ROSE GALLERY, BROMPTON HOSPITAL
ROSE GALLERY
For any parent, watching a daughter die is a profoundly sad experience. And, if there is a positive at all, then it's the equally profound experience of watching a soul escaping from a body that it no longer needs, rushing over itself to find some other place - a place that we can never begin to understand.
13.
SCATTERING THE ASHES
ASHES
Death again. They say that a man never grows up until his mother dies. Whether I grew up when my mother died, whether I will ever grow up, is debatable. All I know is that, with her passing, a hugh burden of guilt seemed to be lifted from me. As, from the undertakers, I carried away the urn containing her ashes, I though how strange it was that I was carrying were the mortal remains of a woman who once carried me; and I asked myself whether, in the end, it matters a toss what happens to the remains of any of us.
14.
THE DOWNS
DOWNS
I was brought up on the edge of the South Downs, outside Eastbourne; and these Downs formed the placenta that was wrapped around me in my formative years. Hillaire Belloc may have to take some of the responsibility - but, here, were my 'Salad Days.'
15.
BERMONDSEY MARKET
BERMONDSEY
Another 'Southampton' exercise: Write a poem about a market place in winter!
16.
AROUND SCOTLAND BY MOTOR CARAVAN
SCOTLAND
Two weeks around Scotland in the motor caravan. This was my diary of the trip. If anything illustrates the halfway house in which I dwell, the line between strict meter and verse and blank verse, then I hope that this does.
17.
THE OFFICE LOO
OFFICE LOO
Yes, we value ourselves and our contributions greatly. Do we, however, value enough the contributions of those around us?
18.
ON WHEATSHEAF COMMON
WHEATSHEAF
A walk, of course, is a good game of golf spoiled. But there are some walks, some countryside, that teach you more about yourself than any sports psychologist ever could.
19.
BALLYBUNNION
BALLYBUNNION
To Ireland in the motor caravan; and a bit surprised to find, at Ballybunnion, a statue of Bill Clinton in the square.
20.
BANTRY BAY
BANTRY
To Ireland in the motor caravan - not surprised to see all the Japanoodles driving up, clicking their cameras and rushing away. Surely the essence of beauty is the here and now - not the computerised image edited in another hemisphere, at another time.
21.
ROSE OF TRALEE
TRALEE
Ireland in the motor caravan - Tralee was not one of the highlights.
22.
GARVACHY ROAD
GARVACHY
Someone had been shot (or stabbed, or knee capped -I forget which) and the seemingly utter utter hopelessness of the whole situation came home to me.
23.
QUESTIONS
QUESTIONS
Well, one is entitled to feel tetchy sometimes!
24.
AIRLINER
AIRLINER
Formulated on a trip to join a boat in New Orleans. However blase the seasoned traveler may be, I cannot believe that there is anyone not
overawed by the might and majesty of an airliner at the moment of take-off.
25..

TWO PRUNES

TWO PRUNES

My kids spend their time telling me, "Lighten up, Dad!" Well, I hope
someone will find this faintly amusing.

26.
AUTUMN IN THE NEW FOREST
AUTUMN
Well, this old dog does sometimes wonder if he is not past his sell by date.
27.
ODE TO THE COMMON MAN
COMMON MAN
Not intended to cause offence to anyone. Simply, I was born into an age where some were privileged and advantaged. Today, I wonder it was not us who where the under privileged and disadvantaged ones!
28.
SUNSHINE!
SUNSHINE
Surely I am destined for hell - but I worship the sun, cherish its heat -
and how I loathe the short winter days.
29.
CAROLINE
CAROLINE

It took forty years of waiting!

30.
LIFE WITHOUT OIL
OIL
Life without oil - in 50 words.
31.
OVER GOOSE GREEN
GOOSE GREEN

I had left the Navy long before the Falklands conflict; and whilst I am
sure that my description of the scene was somewhat out-dated
by the time that this was written, this was how I saw a dog fight
over Goose Green.

32.

BROMPTON REVISITED

BROMPTON

Whilst this is very, very, personal, I do believe that if you feel the
need to express gratitude, then it's no good unless you express it out loud.
33.
EXMOOR IN A MOTOR CARAVAN

EXMOOR

Just a little structured for my taste - possibly caused by, for once in my working life being really able to get away and enjoy being in harmony with nature!

34.

THE TELEPHONE

TELEPHONE

One is entitled to be silly sometimes. No further comment!

35.

A CONVERSATION WITH MY FATHER

CONVERSATION

This had lingered, unfinished, on my hard drive, almost for ever. Then, one day, I though I knew how it should be said - so I said it.

36.

LOVE STORY (A short story)

LOVE STORY

A short story. It has neither a beginning, nor middle; and, although it has an end, it took forty years of waiting to reach it!
37.
THE VIDEO (A short story)
THE VIDEO
The germ of it was true; and it gave rise to a somewhat dramatised
short story.

38.

A MOBILE DEATH
MOBILE DEATH
Finished just back fom the New Forest, 16/4/08: Am I beginning to
drivvel?
39.

LOVE SONG

LOVE SONG

Finshed in the New Forest, 15/4/08 - and, think, give me another 21 days and
I will hit 70!

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