Collaborators

A poem from 2017

Two hearts beating as one

To a slightly different rhythm

For a slightly different reason

An evil intent?

Or the will to survive?

To make the best of a bad situation?

Enemies enemies friends

Conquerer occupied resistance

Oppressors enablers terrified

The compromises

Can you bear it?

The special treatment

The hope to stay alive

What happens when good men do nothing?

What happens when good men go bad?

Who wins?

Who wins now?

Who wins in the end?

Safe House

A poem from 2017

Listen to an audio performance

When can I unsee the things I’ve seen?

When can I unspeak the words I’ve spoken?

When can I undo the deeds I’ve done?

When can I unbe the person I’ve become?

Take me to a safe house

Take me and hide me

I’m being stalked and I’m afraid

He is always lurking in the background demanding to be fed

Watching and waiting to strike me

To smash me in the face

To pin me to the ground

I hate him, he’ll be the death of me

Tears run down behind my eyes

Dripping past my heart into my toes

Still I present the “I’m okay” facade

Nobody must know, nobody must know

Can I ever escape?

Will this be life forever?

I’m not to blame because I’m no longer me

I am this evil twin inside of me

Malted Milk

A poem from 2017

I'm just so tired

This crunching feeling hard wired into my body

It takes hold and won't let go

Eating me

Drooping eyelids of my brain

Life on the wane

Squeezing imaginary muscles

Awake, sleeper, awake!

But I don't want to wake up

I want to sleep before I die

I want to dream of cows grazing in fields

Because counting sheep is so last century

Adverse Camber

A poem from 2017

It's deep within

The slight, hidden danger

Of tipping over

Misjudging

Always defending myself

It wasn't my fault

I'm not to blame

A sign within

Something isn't right

I'm close to tears

Fragile

Set me on the straight road

Stabilise me

Navigate me

From glory to glory

Face to face

Even things out

Give me a fighting chance

Destroy that bend

Destroy that bent

Destroy that sin

Destroy and save

Seeded Jesus

A poem from 2017

Wafer thin Jesus

White bread Jesus

Wholemeal Jesus

Seeded Jesus

Sourdough Jesus

One Jesus

One Body

One Saviour

One Church

The same Jesus

In the sacrament

Under the sacrament

Really present

Within

One Bread

We are One

We are One

Because of One Bread

Take and eat

Remember

We remember

We remember You died

Until You come

We remember

We will never forget

With the faithful departed

One Body gathered

We remember You

Together

We will remember

Until you all come

Want A Lift?

A poem from 2017

I'm walking back from town

A guy in a red car winds his window down and asks

“Want a lift home?”

I tell him, “No, I want to walk’

He pulls a gun and points it at me

Saying, “You don't understand.

I want to give you a lift”

I tell him, I understood him the first time

And waving a gun at me doesn't stop me wanting to walk home

He looks panicked

I've clearly seen his face

And I'm not playing the game

He doesn't know what to do

I don't know what to do

What should I do?

Evolution

A poem from 2017

She glared at me as if to say

What's wrong with wearing pyjamas and dressing gown in the supermarket anyway?

Whisky Chaser

A poem from 2017

Well ain’t you a feisty little thing!

I feel the burn

You make me feel the burn!

There is no escape for you

This is a sealed room and guess who has the key

You are easy to catch

You are no match for me

I am much bigger than you in every way

So get down on your knees and be a good girl

You needn’t bother screaming

We are all alone

And don’t think you can tell anyone about this

It’s our little secret

Nobody would believe you anyway

My word against yours I will always win

I am respected and I could slap you down and make your life hell

I would kill you and don’t think I’m joking

So just cooperate and it won’t hurt

Beautiful You

A poem from 1994

I’m so in love

but I don’t want to force myself

I’m so in love

but so unsure

of your stare

Can you possibly

be interested in me

when you are a living paradox?

Or was I sitting in the happy chair?

I love your face

I love your smile

I love you

I’m just so sorry

that this poem

doesn’t do you justice

Cat Litter

A poem from 2017

The toxic waste products of being human pour out from me

It's a strain but it's not a strain because it comes too naturally

Oh, the shame! The shame!

The smell, the smell, the offence, the tears

It stinks! I stink! A foul smell in your nostrils and mine

But here's the marvel

With you there is forgiveness

You absorbed my sins in your body on the cross

You gave me a new fragrance

You set me free

Your life for mine

A divine swap

A living sacrifice

A happy ending

Silhouette People

A poem from 2017

They are in hiding

They only come out at night

A happy family of darkness

They howl at the moon

They scare passers by

A global conspiracy

You can't tell what they're thinking

To be honest, you wouldn't want to

A horror movie

Shady

Faceless

Nameless

I look in the mirror

To my disgust I see no reflection

I don't even cry about it

This has become my normality