I lament the days to come

they’re empty and look

so useless without



your words they moved

my view of things and

anointed the way



I look towards life

and living in a broad

perspective it’s seems



in vain, so now all

that’s left are forgotten

words memories of



brightness and a

sun that fades into

an ocean of emptiness



no flowers please

acquisitions are not

appreciated

Our grandfather was a grandfather you would draw
He would make pennies appear from our ears and remove his thumb for our delight
He whistled to say hello, and had a voice that made green grow the rushes
He embodied the joy of a child and so the fairies came to live in his garden to whisper messages to us

Our grandfather greeted us with an apple or pear or cucumber or something of Bob’s best
He would dress for our arrival making a belt of string and show us the latest marvel in his treasure trove garden
Our grandfather hugged like a bear and gave kisses so freely that you would never forget how deeply you were loved

A man of principle, a man of courage, a man who fought the titans for the Lilliputian’s of this world
A man who did not live on his knees, but stood and looked you in the eye, respected you and with compassion put forward his truth
Our grandfather taught us right from wrong in front of his fire, as the clock chimed and the chandelier shivered and the scarlet chaise longue told you how far this man had come

Our grandfather withstood pain in his life, sang songs with prisoners of war, made great machines and dreams for his grandchildren
His soul shone out and people loved him, not just for who he was but for how he made us feel

Love me for who I am.
But when the time comes
for me to end,
Let me be among the dead;
Leave me in the grave.

Keep me in your memory;
don't speak wealth
to my name.
Know that I'm gone forever
Forever, far away.

Love me for who I am;
Leave me for who
I will be.

But when I no longer am,
leave me be
within the grave.

If you love me for who I am,
Let praise be spoken
where praise is due;
Know this however:
I am no perfect man.

Don't try to bring life
to these dead bones.
Don't bring me back to life;
don't speak of my name.

I did not ask to seek fame.

If you love me,
keep this commandment
I give thee:

Don't worship me
nor pay tribute
merely in word or song.
But keep me in your memory
and if you want to honour me,
live honourably, not in vain.

Don't lie to yourself.
Don't think I dwell
in the heavenly heights
even though I may be.
Only God determines my fate;
He alone seals my destiny.

Don't weep for me
but for yourselves
and for your children.

And if you love me,
repent and live!
See the Glory
I've shown to you,
though not of my own.

If you love me,
love me for who I am,
and be thankful
when I am gone.

A strewn learner sticker

His ego was always too thick



Too thick for glass

A windscreen stood no chance



Now mourners melanchol

Of a young man taken



His mother saw the real him

She saw the fake



"A little angel" they say

Certainly the one he took away

Today is your father's funeral.
Part of me
feels guilty for not being there
even though I only met him once
and you spoke so poorly of your childhood.
The other part of me
screams about how you broke my spirit
and robbed me of 6 months
of this precious life.
I'll never forget
the feeling of complete loss of control
that you convinced me
was all my fault.
**** my empathic soul
and **** you
for making me believe
I wasn't worth the kind of love
that I have now.

i just want to be invited to the funeral.
i'll buy a new suit. sunday best.
take the train to london
by myself. take some time to reflect.
stand at the back if that's better
i'll probably avoid meeting your family
because i'll still feel guilty.
about romanticising my own suicide
and telling you death was beautiful,
when i knew that you were just as unhealthy
as me. i was a black miasma.
noxious laughing gas.
i'll bring flowers for your coffin
if they survive the train ride.
the last thing i said to you was
how i felt like falling in love
so i could cultivate a broken heart
and finally **** myself,
you were always one step ahead.

do not attend my funeral,
many moons from now,
for i want you to know me for the times we had
when i was laughing and dancing around our kitchen table,
not for how you'd watched me get put into the ground.

i want you to throw my ashes to the wind,
letting them waft as freely as they wish
to every nook and cranny of this earth.
that way, when i am gone,
i will be everywhere,
and you can always have that dimpled smile
playing at your lips wherever you go
with the memories of us and all that we had.