Those days when you run
long and hard
And long and hard
the next day again
And your hip flexors are so tight
When you walk down the street
Your whole pelvis sways in the round
And the wolf whistles
Moments
Away
He took a pre-emptive swig from the bottle of indigestion remedy, put it back in his pocket and strode with a sigh into the bodega. “Now listen here, compadre” he said, as patiently as he could. The barman looked at Johnny. “Sì?”
“I DO NOT WANT PIGEON PIE WITH MY FINO, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”
The barman looked at him. So did the other people in the bar. Johnny belched quietly. He heard himself being too loud. He did not want to seem unreasonable.
“Yes, of course, mister Johnny. No pigeon pie this time. Nothing to eat at all? I recommend –”
“There is only one thing I want. I told you last time but you gave me that pigeon pie. It’s lying heavy, let me tell you.”
“Senor?”
“Doesn’t matter. Just give me what I asked for before.”
“Of course senor. Here is your fino. And this one is on the house.”
Johnny flushed. “Thank you. But to eat?”
“I am sorry mister Johnny. But here we do not have the macaroni pie.”
Johnny sat heavily on the wooden stool and closed his eyes. He sank the sherry in front of him in a swallow and a single tear squeezed from his eye. He rubbed it into his cheek. He had been away too long.
Under the moon
Under the moon the slow impulse called me.
I felt the danger
I would lose my soul in your soul
to please you.
All the shadows were soft-sugar grey;
the thought of the proteas shone through.
What I meant was “It’s coming on to rain”
The odd spots and dots of rain are now being joined by the evens; the pale pavement a monochrome Pollock on fast forward.
Smile at strangers
Exercise every day except for rest days and delete your browsing history so you are not distracted tomorrow.
The fridge-freezer may well be your friend but do not overdo it. Freezing does not remove calories. Think of the polar bears and floss properly.
Write in your diary at least twice a day after coffee and stretch even when you don’t need to. Though not after coffee.
Pyjamas are for nightwear and mornings and evenings. Perhaps midday and afternoons too depending on season and circumstance.
Read a short story or a chapter of a book before you go to bed and after. Have at least three books bookmarked. Do not crack their spines especially if poems.
Moisturise. You know it makes sense. Smile at strangers.
You’re the boss
“OK, you’re the boss” he said.
There was a short silence.
I looked at him and he looked at me.
Then we laughed and laughed and laughed.
Genetic
It must be genetic, Jack thought when he saw his Venus in blue jeans. He smiled. He had known her forever. Genetic. It was in her jeans
To sweeten your mouth
To sweeten your mouth from the aftertaste of cherry and of me
I offer you mango;
But then your tears at the stone, the soul of the fruit.
Poets in pyjamas
Poets in pyjamas
Autumn’s open fires
Warmth that surrounds us
Cats stretch and uncurl
Books and pens and papers lie now abandoned
Your hands
Glass half full
Jamie’s a glass half full kind of guy. Except his is half full of whisky, rain and many, too many, tears.
