• on time

    As I a child I wonderedWhat life was like beforeWar broke out in EuropeCricket played on village greensActors shining from silver screensTube trains, trams, omnibusesFull of people reading newsheetsEditorials and commentariesOn threat and riskThe rights and wrongsThe unlikelihood of something worseNo-one would be mad enoughTo fire the shot, to call a bluffTo cross the line,

  • on Ukraine

    sunrise dulls night’s starsunder lunar indifferenceresistance is allthree years have spunwith nothing to celebrateexcept life itselfthis fight not overembattled Kyiv’s trams will runthere is still a pulsehospitals and schoolsbakeries and street marketsprecious exchangesmoney greases handsmerchants of war grow fatterUkraine their foir grasyellow and blue bandswheat sent by sea feeds the worldtherein grains of truthone man

  • on Ukraine

    The Art of The Dealis to treat all as a gameto exploit weaknessThe Art of The Dealis about acquisitionbluster and bullyThe Art of The Dealis to get all that you wantignoring othersThe Art of The Dealis for gangsters and mobsterswith no legal boundsThe Art of The Dealis about winners and losersfighters not loversThe Art of

  • on 80 years

    My mother was not yet tenWhen she first heard the words “Never again”She’d heard them then and sinceAgain and againI went to Krakow to visit a friendSaw the Katyn memorial to 22,000 murdered menBut chose not to visit AuschwitzWhere tourists go to see the truthTo see the place where a million and more were slainAfter

  • on life

    Met an old friendWho told me about an old friendYounger than either of usAnd not very wellNot very well at allSo I called my younger old friendSaid I’d seen our old friendWho’d told meYou’re feeling a bit under the weatherYes, he said, cheerfullyAll the world’s a stageAnd I’m on Stage 4Under the lightsUnder the doctorCurrent

  • on peace

    don’t say you’re surprisedhow many will be murderedcelebrating peace~ CLP 16/01/2025

  • on and on

    take a moment hereas you do, the Earth spins onstopping for no one~n.b. Is awareness of this reality, reassuring or concerning? How do you eat your humble pie? CLP 22/12/2024

  • on Ukraine

    Ace pilots against dronesBrave, skilful and resourcefulMachines have no fear~ CLP. 18/11/2024

  • on clichés

    she walked into the roomand my heart nearly burstso happy to see her smileso happyfunny how that happensevery timeevery goddam time~ CLP 01/11/2023

  • at night

    awakethere’s a heart racingin the streetis it fear, or anticipationfuelled by alcoholor the acheof lonelinessup here, I miss yourolling closeran arm wrapped arounda wigglewarmthsleep~ CLP 28/09/2024