YOUR WONDERFUL LIFE WAS 'ONE MOMENT IN TIME,'
TURBULENT, DIFFICULT BUT BETTER THAN MINE,
THERE WERE DRUGS, BEATINGS AND TROUBLED RELATIONSHIPS,
LIFE'S GONE BUT NO DEVIL ON YOUR SHOULDER SITS;
YOU GAVE PLEASURE TO MILLIONS WITH YOUR MELODY,
AND TOLD US THAT: 'I WANT TO DANCE WITH SOMEBODY,'
YOU DID, BUT NOT THE BEST FOR YOUR PRECIOUS BREATH,HOW IRONIC THAT YOU SAID: 'HE ROMANCES ME TO DEATH,
YOU SAID THAT, 'I HAVE NOTHING,' BUT YOU HAD EVERYTHING,
WE KNEW THAT WHEN WE SAW YOU AND HEARD YOU SING;
SO WHEN YOU'RE STANDING IN THAT HEAVENLY QUEUE,
YOU SHOULD REMEMBER THAT, 'WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU,'
THE ENDING OF YOUR LIFE WAS REGRETTABLE,
BUT THEN YOU GAVE US: 'THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL.'

I HEARD THAT MANY PEOPLE DON'T FINISH THE BOOK,
THAT INCLUDES 'FIFTY SHADES' AND OTHERS TOO -
STANGELY, MANY DON'T GET PAST THE PAGE NO, 272,
I LOOKED AT MY PAGE, NOT TOO BAD - WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
IT'S IMPORTANT, EVEN THO' PEOPLE HAVE BOUGHT THE BOOK,
FOR FUTURE - PUBLISHING CONTRACTS ARE THERE WHEREVER
YOU LOOK;
SOMEBODY SAID THAT MINE SOUNDED GOOD FOR A FILM-
HANG ON GUYS, LET'S GET THE THING IN PRINT BEFORE WE TRY,
YOU WONDER, IF SOMETHING WAS REAL, IS IT BETTER?
I'M ASKED: 'DID THAT REALLY HAPPEN, ARE YOU SURE?'
WHAT DOES IT MATTER, WHO COULD WANT FOR MORE?
BUT THEN I WAS THERE, I HELD THE HEROINE
IN MY ARMS = DID YOU LOVE HER, NO, A VICTIM
OF CHARMS, THE SAME AS I TELL YOU ABOUT WAVING PALMS.

YOU'RE IN A ROOM SITTING IN A CHAIR DARKLY,
I REMEMBERED TERRY WAITE WHO WAS LOCKED IN A FRIDGE,
A SIX FOOT MAN IN SUCH A SMALL SPACE, LOST FACE
BY SUCH AN OUTRAGE, BUT THEN I TURNED OVER THE PAGE;
TODAY HE IS FINE BUT THE MEMORY CAN NEVER BE ERASED,
THE SPIRIT OF THE MAN, NO MATTER WHAT, COULD NOT BE FAZED,
I CAN NOT LOOK AT PHOTOS, ONLY WHAT'S STORED IN MEMORY
PROVIDES SOME RESPITE AND A CRACK ABOVE PROVIDES SOME LIGHT;
I THINK OF GREEN FIELDS, WIND BLOWING THE FLOWERS,
THERE'S NO KNOCK ON THE DOOR FOR HOURS AND HOURS,
THEN THEY COME TO ASK ME MORE QUESTIONS AND YET
I CAN NOT TELL THEM, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND MY MINDSET,
I'M FINALLY LED OUTSIDE AND BUNDLED INTO A WAITING LORRY,
WHEN THEY PUSH ME OVER THE BORDER, I NO LONGER HAVE TO WORRY.

MY  WIFE  SAYS  THAT  I  LOOK  LIKE  A  MEERKAT,
LIGHT COLOURED MOUSTACHE, GLASSES AND QUIZZICAL LOOK,
TO GET TO THIS STAGE - YOU WOULDN'T KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK,
I'M ALWAYS 'COMPARING THE MARKET.COM', LOOKING FOR DEALS,
TO SAVE MONEY, TO SAVE ANYTHING, ALWAYS APPEALS,
NOW INSURANCE IS ALWAYS A PAIN BUT EVERYONE
IS LOOKING FOR FINANCIAL GAIN, AGAIN AND AGAIN,
IF IT'S NOT MY CAR, IT'S THE HOUSE OR SOMETHING ELSE,
THE BOILER, HOME CONTENTS, ANYTHING THAT MAKES CENTS,
BUT I'VE GIVEN UP - EVEN THO' THESE ANIMALS MAY HAVE GOOD INTENTS,
I'VE TAKEN ALL THIS SAVED MONEY, HAVING A BALL,
IF SOMETHING BREAKS DOWN - I KNOW WHO TO CALL,
I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUR BOW-TIE, THE IMAGE RANKLES,
JUST LEAVE ME ALONE, PLY YOUR TRADE ELSEWHERE - 'SIMPLES!'

THE S-SHAPED EYEBROWS SAID HELLOW AS YOU GO,
HANDS CLASPED WITH A SMILE FROM THE OLD SO-AND-SO,
THE MAN FROM THE 'CUCKOO'S NEST' WAS FINE AFTER ALL,
NO LOBOTOMY, NO CHIEF ANY MORE LEANING AGAINST THE WALL;
'SO, WHAT DO YOU DO TEL BOY?' HE ASKED ME OUT OF THE BLUE,
'I DO A BIT OF PART-TIME WORK AND DUCK AND DIVE LIKE YOU,'
HIS MOUTHED CREASED INTO THE FAMOUS GRIN AND SAID:
'YOU ALL THINK I'M A MILLIONAIRE AND HAVE A FAT-ASSED LIFE,
BUT I OWE TAX, HAVE PERSONAL PROBLEMS WHICH GIVE ME STRIFE,'
HE PAUSED, TO DELIVER ONE OF HIS FAMOUS LINES: 'DON'T WASTE A HARD-ON!'
I MUTTERED AND WHINED WHICH PROMPTED HIS RESPONSE:
'WHEN ARE GOING TO GET THAT BUG OUT OF YOUR ***!'
MY TURN TO GRIN, A FAVOURITE LINE WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT-
DEAREST JACK - I MEANT TO SAY HOW MUCH I LIKED HIM - BUT I FORGOT,

I  MET  HIM  WHEN  HE  WAS ONLY  EIGHTEEN MONTHS  OLD,
WITH  DARK  HAIR AND  EYES  THAT  LOOKED  SO  BOLD,
STAYING AT  HIS  GRANDPARENT'S HOUSE  FOR  AWHILE,
NOBODY KNEW THAT  HE  WOULD  BE  SO  TACTILE;
HE  GAVE  ME  HIS  TOYS AND  MYSTERIOUS  LOOK,
HE'D  TURN  OUT  GREAT NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TOOK;
MANY YEARS LATER WE SETTLED IN THE CONCERT HALL,
WE DIDN'T REALIZE THE EVENING WOULD BE SO MAGICAL,
HE STRODE ON TO THE STAGE WITH BLACK SPRINGY HAIR,
BOWED TO THE AUDIENCE AND SAT DOWN AT THE PIANO;
HE STARTED WITH RACHMANINOV CONCERT IN C MINOR,
AND THEN CONTINUED WITH CHOP'IN NOCTURNE OPUS 15,
GOD, IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL, IT MADE YOU CRY - THE MELODY WOULD HANG,
I REMEMBERED THE SMALL BOY I MET CALLED YANG YANG.

IT WOULD BE NICE TO LIVE IN A FOREST - NO ONE ALONGSIDE,
OR ABOVE OR BELOW, NOW THE SPACES ARE WIDE,
NOW I HEAR NO TAPPING, ONLY THE WIND IN THE TREES,
TO ACHIEVE PEACE IS ONE OF LIFE'S MYSTERIES;
BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE ARE MINE - NO DISPUTE,
IT'S WONDERFUL TO GO DOWN A DIFFERENT ROUTE,
NO MORE SILLY REMARKS, NO BLOCKED DRAINS,
NO STUPID ARGUMENTS EVERY TIME IT RAINS;
'DON'T YOU GET LONELY LIVING OUT THERE,' SOMEONE SAID,
'NO, WE DON'T,' WAS THE USUAL REPLY FOLLOWED BY A SIGH,
EVERYTHING WAS FINE, WE COULDN'T WISH FOR MORE,
DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A NEIGHBOUR BEING A BORE,
DON'T HAVE TO THROW THE BALL BACK OVER THE FENCE,
IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY PEOPLE LACK COMMON SENSE.

THE RHETORIC IS FALLACIOUS, DOESN'T RING TRUE,
BUT SEEMS GENUINE WITH STRANGE REASONING TOO,
DECEPTIVELY PLAUSIBLE, THE EYEBROWS ARE RAISED,
NO MATTER WHAT YOU MIGHT SAY, HE'S NEVER FAZED;
WHEN PHAEDRUS CAME ALONG, HE SCURRIED AWAY,
HE KNEW THAT HE WOULD BE 'SHOT DOWN' ON THAT DAY,
HE STOOD BEFORE THE GREAT SCHOLARS - SOCRATES,
ARISTOTLE AND PLATO WHO TOLD HIM TO GET DOWN ON HIS KNEES,
WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH THIS MAN? EDUCATE ANEW,
OR LET HIM CARRY ON - WHAT WOULD BE YOUR VIEW?
BUT WHAT IS THIS - HE ROSE FROM THE BARREN GROUND,
HE LEFT HIS ACCUSERS MUTTERING, WITHOUT A SOUND,
NOTHING HAD CHANGED, EVEN WHEN DAY TURNED INTO NIGHT,
WHATEVER THEY SAID, HE KNEW THAT HE WAS RIGHT.

THEY SAY THAT WE'RE DREAMERS, MAYBE SCHEMERS,
COULD BE A HIDDEN AGENDA BUT I'LL LOVE YOU TENDER,
I'M DIVIDED INTO ONE OF A GROUP DRINKING WINE,
WHILE WE DISCUSS WHICH IS THE BEST STAR SIGN;
GEMINI IS TWO-FACED, TAURUS JUST A RAGING BULL,
SCORPIO HAS A STING IN THE TAIL AND FALLIBLE,
PISCES TURNED HIS BACK ON ME MYSTERIOUSLY,
WHILE ARIES GRINNED ALONG SO WONDERFULLY,
CAPRICORN COULDN'T MAKE HIS MIND UP SO WENT AWAY,
CANCER WAS TERMINAL AND ONLY SPOKE ABOUT THE WEATHER,
LEO HAD RED HAIR AND LOOKED AS THO' SHE DIDN'T CARE
ABOUT AQUARIUS TICKLING HER BEHIND, JUST DIDN'T MIND
WHEN LIBRA STARTED TO TREAD ON HER TOES AND
KNEW THAT WHEN IT CAME TO VIRGO - ANYTHING GOES

SOMEONE SAID 'THAT: 'I DON'T LIKE THE WAY YOU EAT,'
YOU'RE THE NICEST PERSON THAT I COULD WISH TO MEET,
NOW I HEAR PEOPLE ARGUING ABOUT SHOWER GEL,
ASHTRAYS, NOT ANSWERING THE PHONE AS WELL;
PATHETIC REALLY, EVEN THOUGH I LOVE YOU DEARLY,
WE SEEM TO GO THRO' ALL THIS NONSENSE YEARLY,
WHY DON'T WE EACH GET A ROOM ON OUR OWN,
THEN THERE WOULD BE NO MORE NEED TO MOAN,
NO MORE WORRIES ABOUT DRINKING AND SMOKING,
LIPSTICK ON YOUR TEETH - I WAS ONLY JOKING,
CLOTHES ALL OVER THE PLACE, A MASK UPON YOUR FACE,
IMPATIENCE WHEN WE CAN'T EVEN FIX A NECKLACE;
TO THINK THAT HALF OF US WILL NOT LAST TOGETHER,
TRIVIA BECOMES IMPORTANT - BEYOND ENDEAVOUR.