Poems

Blue Thoughts

Blue is such an understated colour, don’t you think?
Imagine a baby boy
If he was dressed in pink.
Some funny looks may come his way,
And as he grew up what would the neighbours say?

Imagine a schoolchild
Dressed completely in red, after looking after a classful
The teachers would have sore eyes and heads.
At the end of the day, one was heard to say,
Blue is such an understated colour, don’t you think?

Imagine a policeman, dressed in pink,
Ladies would laugh and men would wink.
Others would pass by, and some you may think,
Blue is such an understated colour, don’t you think?

Imagine no blue on hospital wards,
No earthly inkling to whose in charge.
And imagine a vicar dressed in muddy brown,
Enough to make their parishioners frown.

The list could be endless,
But one thing is true,
A world without blue,
Would be strange and untrue.
The mark of authority,
A sign of new birth,
Blue is a colour that possesses value and worth,
But as I sit and ponder
Its values each day,
One thing remains along lifes way,
BLUE IS SUCH AN UNDERSTATED COLOUR, DON’T YOU THINK?

Anon

Vertically Challenged

Now I know I am vertically challenged
Everyone tells me I am
And I think it’s to do with when I was young
My mother she fed me on spam.

Now it might be a foolish notion
As growing I did do
But being vertically challenged
Is a virtue reserved for the few.

Now it’s noted by millions of people
It’s cooler in’t north than in’t south
And if you are tall you have further to fall
And it hurts when you fall on your mouth.

For those who are vertically challenged
Supermarkets reign supreme
My favourite food is out of my grasp
And I can’t reach up for the cream.

Now I'll have someone to look up to
Everyone is taller than me
But when out in a crowd I have to shout loud
Because I’m harder to see.

Gloria De Clair

A Carer

I care about hope, respect and meaning
Not labels that define, confine then consign.

I care about trust – the real foundation of your work
Not suspicion that clouds our thoughts and breeds paranoia
Nor fear that limits our imagination and destroys our dreams.

I care about power and how it’s used
The power of understanding, believing and being with
Not the power of ignoring, excluding and controlling
"The needle and the damage done" – they say it feels like rape.

I care about the good ones – they know who they are
The ones who’ve been there – in terror – in despair
The ones who’ve walked the long hard road
And still go back sometimes
The ones who listen and learn and show they care
The ones who dare to stop and think
Is this good enough for my mum, my son?
The ones who know it could be me, it could be mine
This week, this year, any time
How to keep them there – to shine a light for all?

So if you care about these things
Are you not a carer too?

Anon

The Universe in a Verse

Happy or sad, black or white,
Good or bad, day or night,
Yes or no, rich or poor,
Stay or go, less or more,
Off on on, Heaven or hell,
Nought or one, ill or well,
Girls or boys, love or hate,
Quiet or noise, enemy or mate,
In or out, far or near,
Knowing or doubt, there or here,
Give or take, agree or debate,
Destroy or make, early or late,
Real or fake, wet or dry,
Asleep or awake, low or high,
Woman or man, front or behind,
Yin or yang, selfish or kind.

Up or down, do or don’t,
Smile or frown, will or won’t,
Small or tall, empty or full,
Stand or fall, bright or dull,
Live or die, peace or war,
Why not or why, ceiling or floor,
Crazy or sane, dirty or clean,
Comfort or pain, generous or mean,
Blindness or sight, slow or fast,
Fight or flight, future or past,
Lose or win, straight or gay,
Silence or din, yay or nay,
Old or new, right or wrong,
Me or you, short or long,
Together or apart, boom or bust,
Stop or start, mustn’t or must,
Laugh or cry, dark or pale,
Truth or lie, succeed or fail,
Whisper or shout, fat or thin,
With or without, snarl or grin,
Hers or his, bought or sold,
Hit or miss, hot or cold.

Anon

I have been lost in the barren wilderness

I have been lost in the barren wilderness
And burnt by the sun
It scorched me and I wilted
But now I am coming alive again
And will need to be fed and watered
And cultivated
So I can continue growing
Until I blossom into the beautiful tree
That I am
And be healthy once again!

kdj

Hope

Do you know where you’re going to?
Maybe you’re just passing through,
Passing way above all this,
Way above this dark abyss.
Baby I just ain’t got a clue,
Where it is I’m going to,
I just don’t feel safe where I am,
No-one here could give a damn.
I’m not sure where I’m going to,
But I know I want to be with you,
We’ll just take things as they come,
To bitterness we’ll just act dumb.
Travelling to where we are,
Hopefully it won’t be far,
Settle down and get some peace,
Maybe it’s not out of reach.
You with me and me with you,
Doing all we want to do,
Nothing more and nothing less,
We’ll live together in hopefulness.

Andrew Mottram

We don’t need much: Just Love

Ian Barraclough