paul sheridan: Poems

6h

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paul sheridan 6h

Untitled

why the tattoos?
you were never simply
a blank canvas
a ****** masterpiece,
upon which you’ve allowed someone
to scrawl

6h · 20

over lunch

paul sheridan 6h

over lunch

in the pub, reading
someone says why would you read in
the pub
it beats talking

7h · 24

that’s annoying

paul sheridan 7h

that’s annoying

rushed to the late night shop
but too late
it was shut

7h · 16

clever git

paul sheridan 7h

clever ***

asked the bloke in the
market
where his apples were from
he said trees
said I just wanted to
know if they’re local
he said
they’re trees, mate
they tend
not to travel

1d · 56

modern day politics

paul sheridan 1d

modern day politics

apparently the geese in russia
are bigger than the pyramids in egypt
now that’s proper gander

1d · 32

poem in Sainsbury’s

paul sheridan 1d

poem in Sainsbury’s

old woman holding up the queue
as she fumbles for her purse
was once more beautiful than you
and far more fitting for a verse

1d · 39

a poem takes a surprising turn of events

paul sheridan 1d

a poem takes a surprising turn of events

been together
for

so long

she says
I’m off ..

1d · 35

two old chaps at the bar

paul sheridan 1d

two old chaps at the bar

accepting that I drink too much
is one thing,
but how about another?

2d · 74

didn’t break your heart

paul sheridan 2d

didn’t break your heart

your heart is just a pump, love
and if I broke that
you’d be dead, but you’re not ..

2d · 19

ennui ..

paul sheridan 2d

ennui ..

write poems on beer mats in the pub
they’re not particularly good
but it passes an afternoon

2d · 39

whatever ..

paul sheridan 2d

whatever ..

could tell you were disappointed,
but then,
you tell it so much better ..

2d

bloody hell

paul sheridan 2d

*******

used to hit the keys
on that old type writer
until it eventually gave in
and said what I wanted

2d · 59

another bleary sort of morning

paul sheridan 2d

another bleary sort of morning

it’s here
your
underwear
you left
it ..

2d

above the city

paul sheridan 2d

above the city

I want to hear your voice
above all else, so shout, my
love, shout my love !

4d · 25

london tube

paul sheridan 4d

london tube

you get that little puff
of air
as the tube train doors
open

it’s no wonder they
gasp
those ghosts who drag open
the doors

4d · 36

my wife has always dressed beautifully

paul sheridan 4d

my wife has always dressed beautifully

watching you pull up
your tights as I
lie beneath the quilt in the half
light of the morning

5d

Untitled

paul sheridan 5d

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think you have right
on your side, try spending time with
a few of the
wrong people entirely, darling ..

6d · 48

and what am I doing

paul sheridan 6d

and what am I doing

sitting in the pub
thinking of my wife at
home half past
four in the afternoon

6d · 75

strangers on a bus

paul sheridan 6d

strangers on a bus

writing a poem on the bus
and the elderly woman sitting next to me
says oh, is it about us

6d · 42

sorry, they’re all out

paul sheridan 6d

sorry, they’re all out

got you a lettuce
hope you like it
it’s as crisp and green
as an apple ..

6d · 31

not hooked

paul sheridan 6d

not hooked

caught a fish in the pond
although it later transpired
it had every right to be there

6d · 39

night out

paul sheridan 6d

night out

got a kebab on the way home
could tell it was on the way home
it looked knackered

6d · 39

Untitled

paul sheridan 6d

Untitled

not having felt great for
ages one somewhat ..

6d · 215

you never know

paul sheridan 6d

you never know

threw it aside
thinking of course
a poem is never

as good as
it might have been,
though ..

7d · 24

thanks, mate

paul sheridan 7d

thanks, mate

watched an old bloke on the train
struggle to open a packet
of sandwiches and offered him a hand
which he gratefully ate

7d · 15

Untitled

paul sheridan 7d

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apparently thought
is out of fashion is all
about how you feel

Jul 2 · 49

I know you didn’t mean to interrupt

paul sheridan Jul 2

I know you didn’t mean to interrupt

life can end
in a second, love
I’m just writing
a poem

Jul 2 · 8

night night

paul sheridan Jul 2

night night

city at night is like myself
as a child
afraid to turn off
the lights

Jul 2 · 11

not up to you ..

paul sheridan Jul 2

not up to you ..

she said
you must hate me
I said
you can’t make me ..

Jul 2 · 15

hackney

paul sheridan Jul 2

hackney

want to inhale
the very scent of
of the city?
try the back seat
of a taxi ..

Jul 1 · 34

polite ..

paul sheridan Jul 1

polite ..

there’s a few of us
going out tonight
if you’re interested

of course I am you
must tell me all about it
in the morning ..

Jul 1 · 20

disappointment

paul sheridan Jul 1

disappointment

I want to read
my book
why are you
looking at me
like that ?

Jul 1 · 28

note to self

paul sheridan Jul 1

note to self

try writing about something
other than yourself
who actually cares?

Jun 30 · 38

but it was funny

paul sheridan Jun 30

but it was funny

remember when your foot sank in
the mud and you lost your
shoe and I laughed and you never
forgave me? alright, I’m sorry ..

Jun 30 · 56

sighs ..

paul sheridan Jun 30

sighs ..

told as a boy if you cut a worm in half
half of it survives
but we’re not worms
boys just put down your knives

Jun 29 · 30

a photo, circa 1967

paul sheridan Jun 29

a photo, circa 1967

a girl in slacks
a cigarette
agape

a grape
aggrieved
relieved

and yet ..

Jun 29 · 25

Untitled

paul sheridan Jun 29

Untitled

can’t sleep
and so I write

doubly cursed
am I at night

Jun 29 · 49

looking back

paul sheridan Jun 29

looking back

we are
not what
we were
we ever?

Jun 29 · 29

oh, she cited a previous engagement

paul sheridan Jun 29

oh, she cited a previous engagement

he bought
her a ring

but she
didn’t

Jun 29 · 34

life’s full of surprises

paul sheridan Jun 29

life’s full of surprises

things seldom
occur the way
one expects too much,
of course

Jun 29 · 53

night, a vignette

paul sheridan Jun 29

night, a vignette

the upstairs window
looks out across the city
a figure peers back ..

Jun 29 · 21

Untitled

paul sheridan Jun 29

Untitled

alright I’m the worst poet you’ve
ever read
I mean what do you want
me to say ?

Jun 28 · 6

and beyond all the bluster

paul sheridan Jun 28

and beyond all the bluster

a small bird sings
in the wind in the
trees in the wind
a small bird sings

Jun 28 · 19

rainy day pub lunch

paul sheridan Jun 28

rainy day pub lunch

drizzle at the
bar grey
as muzzy
print

from your
morning paper
droplets of
ink

Jun 28 · 170

felled

paul sheridan Jun 28

felled

hid a poem in a tree in
the woods
but they cut it down
to just a couple of words

Jun 28 · 65

quite

paul sheridan Jun 28

quite

quite like the calm appraisal
historians bring to the past
supplying a little distance
to that which is actually vast ..

Jun 27 · 31

never mind the music

paul sheridan Jun 27

never mind the music

what do I want played
at my funeral?
charades

Jun 27 · 76

let me tell you a secret

paul sheridan Jun 27

let me tell you a secret

I’d willingly take you
into my confidence
if I had any

Jun 26 · 46

nonsense verse

paul sheridan Jun 26

nonsense verse

suggested a picnic
she said good idea
I’ll make the sandwiches
I said no, let them
decide for themselves

Jun 26 · 33

homage to edward lear

paul sheridan Jun 26

homage to edward lear

only ever known two women whose
feet I found attractive
and one I married -
don’t know what happened to the
other three ..