Dark Adapted Eyes

Take a step forward into the story of life.
It is a story full of characters and they look a lot like us. It's not quite a metaphor but it seems a lot like one.
So just take a single step into a brave new territory.

The ground may look fresh and tempting. But unless you have the clearest, brightest vision directly in front of you, you are bound to clock the peripheral shadows.
Those beady eyes high in the trees, waiting.
Waiting to pounce.
Waiting for you to slip. To fail.

A hardy oak full of ‘I told you sos’.
A tall redwood decorated with ‘What were you thinking?'
The puppet masters are just out of sight. Some are playful, some malevolent.
Because it's their world after all, isn't it?
We are their puppets.

At least until you.
And I.
Decide differently.

Bertha’s Bottom - a poem

Bertha’s bottom was close to the floor
This would help her to reach a very low drawer
Mostly however it got up her nose
Shopping in Children's for most of her clothes.
Amongst gathered opinion came parental advice,
A shortness of leg was a family trait.
But at least tea tonight was going to be nice
And she took some reassurance
She was still only eight.

Tess - a poem

I have a dog called Tess
She jumps over into next door's garden
When she wants a beg-your-pardon
Just lucky, I guess!


(I used to have a book of poems by Spike Milligan and this was the only one I could very nearly remember:
From Sydney Zoo
An Alligator
Was put on board
A flying freighter.

He ate the pilot
And the navigator
Then asked for more,
With mashed potater.

True story apparently. The effort above is a little mime to his style)

The Ultimate Answer to the Oldest Question

Well it's the favourite old sweet question...I know the retro sweet thing has been done to death, but these are (until today) a complete memory lapse that really did hit the spot.
Double agents - delicious flavours (except I wasn't so keen on the strawberry and cream) with a hint of spying. It doesn't get any better than that.

And if you happened to treat yourself to a pack of Smith's Fangs later on, then all the better.
Brilliant!!

Name of the Rose

If you believe in God, you’re opinion is backed up by “Faith”.
It is a nice positive quality.
People name their children after it. They do the same with Charity. And Hope. And Destiny.
America loves that sort of thing, branding its young. It’s the ultimate billboard ad.

Of course, if you are not one of the chosen, you are alone with your opinion.
An opinion that tends to be prefixed by words such as lowly or humble.
It's certainly something to be dismissed.
A lot of people might call that bloody good marketing.

This religious thing, it doesn't play by the rules does it?

Love Hearts - a poem

Like You
I'm Shy
My Girl
Don’t Cry

Trust Me
Be Mine
True Love
Good Time

My Girl
Your Boy
In Love
Your Toy

Find Me
You Dope
New Love
My Hope

Aim High
Catch Me
Lucky Lips
You’ll See

Us

Never underestimate the power of popular cultural reference.

It's what we are.

It's the brotherliness when we share an old joke, laugh at a story we already know the ending to, put on a film we've seen before.

It’s comfort.

It’s massage. It’s marshmallow.

It is reliable old software for an internal computer.

It’s a coat, an old friend, your first teddy bear.

It's me.

It's you.

It's us.

10 Things I Hate

1. News presenters who wave their hands around 
2. Musicians who start you clapping then leave you there 
3. Fish knives 
4. That camera angle in movies where you are supposed to believe somebody can see themselves in the mirror but there's no camera in sight 
5. Live albums 
6. Applause during rather than after songs 
7. Sirens on songs, particularly when driving
8. Ticketmaster 
9. Taxis that are early. (Or late)
10. Happy Days, particularly Potsy.